Jiang Wen

Jiang Wen
姜文
Jiang in 2008
Born
Jiang Xiaojun[1]

(1963-01-05) 5 January 1963
Tangshan, Hebei, China
Alma materCentral Academy of Drama
OccupationsActor, screenwriter, film director
Years active1986–present
Spouses
Sandrine Chenivesse
​
​
(m. 1997⁠–⁠2005)​
​
(m. 2005)​
Children3
Parent(s)Jiang Hongqi (father)
Gao Yang (mother)
RelativesJiang Wu (brother)
Awards
Hong Kong Film Awards – Best Supporting Actor
1997 The Soong Sisters

Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards – Best Director
2011 Let the Bullets Fly
Best Screenplay
2011 Let the Bullets Fly

Golden Horse Awards – Best Director
1996 In the Heat of the Sun
Best Adapted Screenplay
1996 In the Heat of the Sun
2011 Let the Bullets Fly
Best Film Editing
2007 The Sun Also Rises

Hundred Flowers Awards – Best Actor
1986 Hibiscus Town
1989 A Woman for two

Chinese name
Chinese姜文
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinJiāng Wén
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese姜小軍
Simplified Chinese姜小军
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinJiāng Xiǎojūn
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutpinggeung1 man4

Jiang Wen (born 5 January 1963) is a Chinese actor and filmmaker. He directed and starred in films such as In the Heat of the Sun (1994), Devils on the Doorstep (2000), The Sun Also Rises (2007), and Let the Bullets Fly (2010). He is also known for his roles in television series A Native of Beijing in New York (1992) and in films Hibiscus Town (1986), Red Sorghum (1988), and Rogue One (2016). He is brother of actor Jiang Wu.

Early life, family and education

Jiang was born in Tangshan to a family of military personnel. He relocated to Beijing at the age of ten. In 1973, he attended Beijing No. 72 Middle School, where he studied alongside Ying Da.[2] In 1980, he entered the Central Academy of Drama and graduated in 1984.

Career

Acting

After graduation, Jiang was assigned to China Youth Art Institute as an actor.[2] That same year, he started acting both on the stage at the China Youth Theater and in films.

Jiang's debut role was in the film The Last Empress, portraying Puyi.[3] He rose to prominence for his role in Hibiscus Town, directed by Xie Jin, which earned Jiang the Best Actor at the Hundred Flowers Awards.[4] Jiang reunited with his Hibiscus Town co-star Liu Xiaoqing in the film Chun Tao, directed by Ling Zifeng.[5] In 1988, Jiang starred along side Gong Li in Zhang Yimou's directorial debut Red Sorghum.[6]

In the 1990s, Jiang starred in films such as Black Snow (1990),[7] Li Lianying: The Imperial Eunuch (1991),[8] The Emperor's Shadow (1996),[9] and The Soong Sisters (1997). He reunited with Zhang Yimou in the film Keep Cool (1997). Jiang also acted in television, most notably in the television series A Native of Beijing in New York (1992), based on the novel Beijinger in New York.[10]

In the 2000s, Jiang's notable credits include The Missing Gun, Green Tea, My Father and I, Warriors of Heaven and Earth, Jasmine Women and Letter from an Unknown Woman.[11] He also played notable historical figures, Mao Renfeng in the propaganda film The Founding of a Republic;[12] and Cao Cao in the historical war film The Lost Bladesman.[13]

Jiang co-starred in the Star Wars anthology film Rogue One, released in December 2016. In the film, he portrays Baze Malbus, a native of the moon of Jedha who is drawn into the war against the Galactic Empire.[14]

Writing and directing

Jiang wrote and directed his first film in 1994, In the Heat of the Sun, adapted from a novel by Wang Shuo.[15] A tale set in the Cultural Revolution, it won for its young lead actor Xia Yu the Best Actor prize at the Venice Film Festival and garnered six Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan.

In 2000, Jiang co-wrote and directed the black comedy film Devils on the Doorstep. The film premiered at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival and clinched the Grand Prix[16] but was subsequently banned in its home country;[17] said to undermine the country because it "seriously distorts Chinese history". Jiang himself was banned from making films for seven years.[18] In 2001 he was a member of the jury at the 23rd Moscow International Film Festival.[19]

Jiang returned with his fourth feature The Sun Also Rises in 2007; a fantasy realism film which contains a polyptych of interconnected stories in different time-zones; the film received positive reviews from critics but bombed at the box office.[20][21] He then collaborated with 10 other directors on the romance anthology film New York, I Love You.[22]

Jiang's fifth feature, a Western-styled action comedy Let the Bullets Fly set a box office record by becoming the fastest Chinese-language film to break RMB100m mark ($15.15m) in Chinese cinemas; and received critical acclaim.[23][24]

In 2013 he was named as a member of the jury at the 70th Venice International Film Festival.[25] In 2014, Jiang directed the action comedy film Gone with the Bullets, which screened at the 65th Berlin International Film Festival.[26][27] In 2018, Jiang directed the Republican-era spy comedy Hidden Man.[28] The film was China's submission to the 91st Academy Awards.[29] These two films together with Let the Bullets Fly form his gangster Beiyang trilogy.[30][31][32]

Personal life

Family

Jiang Wen's father is Jiang Hongqi, a veteran of the Korean War. Described as taciturn and bookish, he played a minor role in his son's 2011 film, Let the Bullets Fly. Jiang's mother Gao Yang — "a cheerful, extroverted woman" — worked as a piano teacher. Jiang Wen is the eldest son in the family; in addition to his younger brother, Jiang Wu, he has a younger sister, Jiang Huan.

Close to his family, Jiang has a deep bond with his parents: whenever he is on site for shooting or acting, he arranges for them to come to his workplace so that he can spend time with them. Each movie he makes, he saves the best seats for them and asks for their opinions. Even on artistic composition, he sometimes resorts to them for advice. It was his parents' endorsement on the original novel of A Native of Beijing in New York that propelled Jiang into his performance. Later, during the filming of his first feature film, In the Heat of the Sun, Jiang again considered their evaluation of Xia Yu, before settling on him as the leading actor.[33]

Relationships

In 1987, Jiang began a relationship with Liu Xiaoqing, when he was 24 and she was 37. Liu, who was then married to Chen Guojun, divorced in 1989 after Chen discovered the affair. After an eight-year relationship, during which they lived together for three years, Liu and Jiang separated amicably in 1994.[34]

In 1995, Jiang began a relationship with Sandrine Chenivesse, a Doctor of Anthropology at the University of Paris, researching philosophy and Taoism in China, at an artistic event. They married in Paris in 1997 and had a daughter together, but the marriage remained discreet until their appearance on the red carpet of the 2000 Cannes Film Festival. In 2005, Chenivesse announced their divorce, citing long-distance separation as the cause.[35]

In 2001, during the filming of Warriors of Heaven and Earth, Jiang was introduced to cast member Zhou Yun, by fellow actress Zhao Wei. Later, Jiang recommended Zhou to the cast of The Music Box, but each left the crew after a creative difference between Jiang and the director Chen Yifei. Jiang and Zhou married in 2005 and have two sons together.[36]

Filmography

Film

Acting roles

YearTitleRoleNotes
1986The Last EmpressPuyi
Hibiscus TownQiu Shutian
Tears of the Bridal Sedan
1987Red SorghumMy grandpapa
1989 Chun TaoWen Chiang
1990Black SnowLi Huiquan
1991Li Lianying: The Imperial EunuchLi Lianying
1993The TrailChinese policeman
1994In the Heat of the SunMa Xiaojun (adult)
1996The Emperor's ShadowYing Zheng
1997Keep CoolBookseller
The Soong SistersCharlie Soong
2000Devils on the DoorstepMa Dasan
2002The Missing GunMa Shan
2003Green TeaChen Mingliang
My Father and IPoliceman
Warriors of Heaven and EarthLieutenant Li
2004Jasmine WomenMr. Meng
Letter from an Unknown WomanWriter / Mr. Xu
2007The Sun Also RisesTang Yunlin
2009The Founding of a RepublicMao Renfeng
2010Let the Bullets FlyZhang Mazi
2011The Lost BladesmanCao Cao
2014Gone with the BulletsMa Zouri
2016Rogue One: A Star Wars StoryBaze Malbus
2018Hidden ManLan Qingfeng
2021The Curse of TurandotKhanCameo appearance
2025You are the BestLang Guoren

Filmmaking credits

Feature film

Year Title Director Writer Producer
1994 In the Heat of the Sun Yes Yes No
2000 Devils on the Doorstep Yes Yes Yes
2007 The Sun Also Rises Yes Yes Yes
2010 Let the Bullets Fly Yes Yes No
2014 Gone with the Bullets Yes Yes Executive
2018 Hidden Man Yes Yes Executive
2025 You are the Best Yes Yes No

Short film

Year Title Director Writer Producer
2008 New York, I Love You Yes No No

Television series

YearTitleRoleNotes
1993Beijinger in New YorkWang Qiming
1997A Sentimental StoryProducer
2005Lotus LanternChenxiang
2006Da Qing FengyunHong Taiji

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryNominated workNotes
198710th Hundred Flowers AwardsBest ActorHibiscus Town
198912th Hundred Flowers AwardsBest ActorChun Tao
2nd Golden Phoenix AwardsSociety AwardRed Sorghum
199412th China TV Golden Eagle AwardBest ActorA Native of Beijing in New York[37]
199633rd Golden Horse Film Festival and AwardsBest DirectorIn the Heat of the Sun[38]
Best Original Screenplay
199817th Hong Kong Film AwardsBest Supporting ActorThe Soong Sisters
200053rd Cannes Film FestivalGrand PrixDevils on the Doorstep
200154th Cannes Film FestivalFrance Culture Award - Foreign Cineaste of the Year
20033rd Chinese Film Media AwardsBest ActorThe Missing Gun[39]
Most Popular Actor
12th Shanghai Film Critics AwardsBest Actor
20044th Chinese Film Media AwardsMost Popular ActorWarriors of Heaven and Earth[40]
11th Beijing College Student Film FestivalMost Popular Actor[41]
200510th Golden Phoenix AwardsSociety Award[42]
200744th Golden Horse Film Festival and AwardsBest Film EditingThe Sun Also Rises[43]
200821st Tokyo International Film FestivalAsian Film Award - Special Mention
201120th Shanghai Film Critics AwardsBest ActorThe Lost Bladesman[44]
48th Golden Horse Film Festival and AwardsBest Original ScreenplayLet the Bullets Fly[45]
11th Chinese Film Media AwardsBest Director[46]
20123rd China Film Director's Guild AwardsBest Director[47]
201417th Shanghai International Film FestivalOutstanding Contribution AwardN/a[48][49][50]

References

  1. ↑ "姜文，一个无法被取代的男人". Tencent News. 2020-02-09. Archived from the original on 2021-05-02. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  2. 1 2 Li Erwei (2008). "Jiang Wen: The First Step Towards the Art Circle" 《姜文：走向艺坛的第一步》. 《青年文摘》 [Youth Literary Digest] (in Chinese). Beijing: China Youth Press. pp. 117–121. ISBN 978-7-5006-6468-0.
  3. ↑ 竞报：姜文虽“轴”，却鞭策他不断进步. Sohu (in Chinese). 13 September 2007.
  4. ↑ 影人特写：姜文——王者霸气，才华横溢(组图). Tencent (in Chinese). 27 August 2007.
  5. ↑ 想当年｜《春桃》：“大女人”的爱情. The Paper (in Chinese). 8 August 2018.
  6. ↑ 张艺谋经典影片《红高粱》将重映 巩俐姜文主演. Sina (in Chinese). 3 October 2018.
  7. ↑ 上影节展映片｜《本命年》：姜文曾经只是一个观众. The Paper (in Chinese). 14 June 2018.
  8. ↑ 挑战极限的姜文. People.com (in Chinese). 11 November 2011.
  9. ↑ 姜文葛优：这舞台除非我自己下去 没人能赶得了(图). China Daily (in Chinese). 6 December 2010.
  10. ↑ "TV series tells about Beijingers in New York". China Daily. 13 October 1993.
  11. ↑ "Jiang Wen: A Good Film Should Taste Like Strong Liquor". China.org.cn. 3 November 2003.
  12. ↑ 李连杰下月客串《建国大业》 姜文饰演特务头子. Sina (in Chinese). 20 March 2009.
  13. ↑ "Jiang Wen plays Cao Cao in The Lost Bladesman". China.org.cn. 14 January 2011.
  14. ↑ "Donnie Yen and Jiang Wen to star in Star Wars anthology". China Daily. 13 August 2015.
  15. ↑ "Jiang's Sun Rises to Off-Beat Success". China Daily. 30 September 2007.
  16. ↑ "Festival de Cannes: Devils on the Doorstep". festival-cannes.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2009-10-11.
  17. ↑ "Devils on His Doorstep". CNN.com. 24 July 2000. Archived from the original on January 27, 2011.
  18. ↑ "Chinese director Jiang Wen banned from film-making". The Guardian. 14 July 2000.
  19. ↑ "23rd Moscow International Film Festival (2001)". MIFF. Archived from the original on 2013-03-28. Retrieved 2013-03-29.
  20. ↑ "A truth that's stranger than fiction". China Daily. 23 February 2011.
  21. ↑ "Interview with Jiang Wen". CNN. 23 July 2007.
  22. ↑ "New York, I Love You". Variety. 30 September 2009.
  23. ↑ "Chinese Director Coy on 'Let The Bullets Fly' Message". Hollywood Reporter. 1 November 2011.
  24. ↑ "Jiang Wen's Let the Bullets Fly sets records in China". Screen Daily. 20 December 2010.
  25. ↑ "Juries and Awards of the 70th Venice Film Festival". labiennale. Archived from the original on 8 September 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  26. ↑ "Film Review: 'Gone With the Bullets'". Variety. 6 January 2015.
  27. ↑ "'Gone with the Bullets' to compete in Berlin Film Festival". China Daily. 5 January 2015.
  28. ↑ "Jiang Wen returns with Republican-era spy comedy". China Daily. 31 August 2018.
  29. ↑ Kilday, Gregg (2018-10-08). "Oscars: 87 Countries Submit Films in Foreign-Language Category". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  30. ↑ "姜文谈《一步之遥》 故事源自北洋阎瑞生案" [Jiang Wen talks about "One Step Away" The story is based on the Beiyang Yan Ruisheng case] (in Chinese). NetEase Entertainment. 19 May 2014. Archived from the original on 10 July 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  31. ↑ IMAX China (June 20, 2018). "Jiang Wen's Hidden Man to be Released in IMAX Theatres Across China on July 13". Beijing: PR Newswire Asia Ltd. PR Newswire. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  32. ↑ Elley, Derek (30 August 2018). "Review: Hidden Man (2018)". Sino-Cinema. WordPress. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  33. ↑ 姜文家族档案曝光 父亲参演《让子弹飞》[组图]. China.com (in Chinese). 23 October 2013.
  34. ↑ 刘晓庆曾借钱圆姜文导演梦 两人交情匪浅(图). Sohu (in Chinese). 8 August 2011.
  35. ↑ 姜文私密照片：亲密合影刘晓庆 父亲曾抗美援朝. People's Daily (in Chinese). 23 December 2010. Archived from the original on 21 October 2018. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  36. ↑ 姜文私密照片：亲密合影刘晓庆 父亲曾抗美援朝. People's Daily (in Chinese). 23 December 2010.
  37. ↑ 第十二届中国电视金鹰奖. Netease (in Chinese). 1 December 2004.
  38. ↑ 1996年第33届台湾电影金马奖入围暨得奖名单. Sina (in Chinese). 10 November 2004.
  39. ↑ 第三届华语电影传媒大奖获奖名单. Sina (in Chinese). 13 June 2008.
  40. ↑ 第四届华语电影传媒大奖获奖名单. Sina (in Chinese). 13 June 2008.
  41. ↑ 大学生电影节圆满谢幕 各项大奖尘埃落定. Sina (in Chinese). 15 May 2004.
  42. ↑ 第十届金凤凰奖落幕 庆中国电影百年华诞(组图). Sina (in Chinese). 8 August 2005.
  43. ↑ 44届台湾金马奖揭晓 《色，戒》成最大赢家. Sina (in Chinese). 9 December 2007.
  44. ↑ 年年期盼国产佳片第20届上海影评人奖项揭晓. Netease (in Chinese). 12 June 2011.
  45. ↑ "List of 2011 Golden Horse Film Awards winners". Yahoo. 28 November 2011.
  46. ↑ 《让子弹飞》成华语电影传媒大奖最大赢家 姜文成最佳导演. CRI (in Chinese). 17 June 2011.
  47. ↑ 《让子弹飞》导演协会受捧 姜文荣获最佳导演. Mtime (in Chinese). 9 April 2012.
  48. ↑ 上影节开幕 姜文获华语电影杰出贡献奖. Sina (in Chinese). 14 June 2014.
  49. ↑ "Jiang Wen". imdb.com. Retrieved February 12, 2010.
  50. ↑ "Jiang Wen". chinesemov.com. Retrieved February 12, 2010.

Works cited

  • Silbergeld, Jerome (2008), Body in Question: Image and Illusion in Two Chinese Films by Director Jiang Wen (Princeton: Princeton University Press)
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