This riveting, behind-the-scenes look reveals the massive project to create the opening spectacle for Beijing's 2022 Winter Olympics. Set in the iconic 'Bird's Nest,' the story is told in the words of key figures involved, including director Zhang Yimou.
This anthology drama presents four short films honoring Chinese families, spotlighting the struggles of key groups across four pivotal eras: the revolution, construction, reform and opening up, and the new era, while highlighting their perseverance, dedication to ideals, and commitment to passing on the national spirit through generations.
Zhang Yimou (born November 14, 1950 or 1951) is a Chinese film director, producer, writer and actor, and former cinematographer. He is counted amongst the Fifth Generation of Chinese filmmakers, having made his directorial debut in 1987 with Red Sorghum. Zhang has won numerous awards and recognitions, with Best Foreign Film nominations for Ju Dou in 1990 and Raise the Red Lantern in 1991, Silver Lion and Golden Lion prizes at the Venice Film Festival, Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, and the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. One of Zhang's recurrent themes is the resilience of Chinese people in the face of hardship and adversity, a theme which has been explored in such films as, for example, To Live (1994) and Not One Less (1999). His films are particularly noted for their rich use of colour, as can be seen in some of his early films, like Raise the Red Lantern, and in his wuxia films like Hero and House of Flying Daggers.