Zhang Li

essential information

Early experience

In 1974, Zhang Li cut in line in Pingjiang County, Hunan Province, and went to Xiaoxiang film studio to work as a handyman to fill his stomach. Therefore, he became infatuated with movies. In 1978, with the encouragement of studio photographers, Zhang Li was admitted to the Photography Department of Beijing Film Academy. In that year, Zhang Yimou, Gu Changwei, Chen Kaige, Li Shaohong, Hu Mei, Tian Zhuangzhuang and others were admitted to Beijing Film Academy. After graduation in 1982, he worked in Xiaoxiang film studio.

Acting experience

In 1986, he directed the plot movie escape from the evil world, which was Zhang Li's first directing work, but it failed to be released. In 1989, he directed the plot movie "fake hero" independently.

In 1996, he was nominated for the Best Cinematography Award of the 16th Golden Rooster Award for Chinese film by virtue of the plot film "red cherry". In 1999, he worked with Chi Xiaoning as the photographer of the plot film "born in the sky", and won the best Photography Award of the 20th China Golden Rooster Film Award for this film.

In 2001, he directed the modern Chinese historical drama "towards the Republic", which presents a panoramic view of the difficult process of the Chinese nation's overthrowing the monarchy and moving towards the Republic.

In 2003, he directed the war emotional drama "military secrets", which tells the experience of two veteran soldiers and their families from the war years to the peace years for half a century. Zhang Li won the fifth "top ten directors" of China's mass TV with this drama.

In 2005, he directed the palace romance "Royal Guards", which tells the love and hatred of three royal guards pestering the world's first beauty Yinyue in the late Ming Dynasty. He performed a story of fighting against the political darkness and searching for true conscience.

In 2006, he directed the historical drama "Ming Dynasty 1566 Jiajing and Hai Rui", which tells the story of emperor Jiajing and Hai Rui. On September 14, the palace tragedy film "Banquet" was released, and it won the best Photography Award of the 51st Asia Pacific Film Festival and the nomination of the best photography award of the 43rd Golden Horse Award of Taiwan film.

In April 2007, he directed the humanistic costume drama "past China", which won the best long Drama Award of the 4th Seoul International TV Festival and the third prize of the 27th China TV drama flying sky award.

In 2008, he directed the historical war drama "the right way in the world is vicissitudes", which won the excellent TV Drama Award of the 25th China TV Golden Eagle Award, the best TV Series Gold Award of the 16th Shanghai TV Festival, the first prize of the 28th China TV series flying sky award, and Zhang Li won the best TV drama director award of the 16th Shanghai TV Festival.

In April 2009, he and Liu Miaomiao co directed the historical drama Confucius spring and autumn. In June 2010, he and Liu Miaomiao co directed the historical war drama holy gate.

On September 23, 2011, the revolutionary epic war film "revolution of 1911" was released and won the excellent feature film award of the 21st Golden Rooster Baihua Film Festival.

In May 2012, he served as the artistic director of the historical drama "salt merchants in Qing Dynasty"; in September, he directed the Emotional TV series "nine years", which is about the rough life of the "North drifters" in Beijing after SARS; in October, he took over the director of the magic three-dimensional film "Jingzhou, three countries".

In February 2013, he directed the modern war drama sacrifice on the 49th, which is adapted from Yan Geling's novel Jinling thirteen hairpins. It is the first time to restore the inhuman disaster before and after the Nanjing Massacre in 1937.

In 2014, he directed the TV series Young Marshal, which narrated the glorious and bumpy life of historical legend Zhang Xueliang.

In August 2016, he directed the ancient costume fantasy martial arts drama "Wu Dong Qian Kun", which is adapted from the novel of the same name by the Internet novel writer Tian Chan Tudou.

In March 2017, with "young commander" won the annual quality director of 2017 China TV drama quality Festival; in the same year, directed the legendary drama "Cao Cao"; in July, Zhang Li was the producer of the ancient court drama "biography of imperial concubine sun ruowei of Ming Dynasty".

On August 6, 2020, the anti epidemic TV series "together" directed by Zhang Li and other 10 directors held a press conference during the 26th Shanghai TV Festival; on October 12, the urban commercial war drama "win or lose" directed by Zhang Li was released.

Personal life

In 2003, Zhang Li invited actor Liu Bei to play in the TV series military secrets, which brought them together. This is Zhang Li's fifth marriage. After three years, they divorced and had a son.

Main works

Directing works

Photographic works

Supervised production

Art director

social activities

On October 12, 2006, the young filmmakers Committee of China filmmakers association was established, with Zhang Li as the vice president.

Award winning record

Character evaluation

Zhang Li, born as a photographer, is a rising star in the TV drama industry. His first directing work "towards the Republic" has pushed his TV drama career to the peak with his new interpretation of history. Zhang Li is free to switch between photography and director, film and TV series. He does not regard TV series as art, nor does he regard film as the ultimate emotion. This is Zhang Li's alternative survival law. (Tencent Entertainment review)

From "towards the Republic", Zhang Li's works always have different perspectives and interpretations of that period of history and characters. Zhang Li's works are characterized by strong style of picture language, profound meaning of lines and performance. His plays are full of "home country" feelings, but the feelings are not conventional preaching, on the contrary, full of reflection. (Sohu Entertainment review)

Zhang Li's works focus on the grand theme of spirit and times, and are famous in the industry for their heavy style and exquisite texture. (Sina entertainment review)

Zhang Li's works always attract a lot of audiences because of their close shooting techniques and strong reflection on history. He is good at interpreting history from the modern context. (review of Shenzhen Special Economic Zone Daily)

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