Zhang Wei was Born in Hunan Province of China, and he studied Directing at the Beijing Film Academy as well as Cinema Studies at the Chinese National Academy of Arts.
Zhang Wei is known for his cinematic realism that depicts individuals who are marginalized by society in a natural, and realistic way. His films self-consciously express critical social issues and convey powerful social messages through their unassuming storylines that embody important social conflicts. This constant struggle between marginalized individuals and society introduces the audience to aspects of Chinese society that are often overshadowed by China’s rapid transformation.
In his film-making career, to date he has directed seven features including BEIJING DREAM(2010) and SHADOW PUPPET SHOW OF ONE PERSON(2011), both of which received acclaim from critics. His third feature FACTORY BOSS(2014) won Best Actor Award at Montréal World Film Festival, Fajr Award for Best Original Screenplay at Fajr International Film Festival, and has been shown at numerous festivals. His fourth feature DESTINY(2016) won Best Actress Award and Best Actor Award at New York SR Socially Relevant Film Festival. BALLAD FROM TIBET(2017) is his fifth feature and won multiple awards including Best Children’s Feature at China International Children’s Film Festival and Best Movie in the competition NEW LOOK of Transbaikalia International Film Festival. In October 2018, Zhang Wei’s sixth feature THE RIB (2018) had its world premier at Busan International Film Festival and won Jiseok Award.
