The Chinese director of the 6th Generation. The films of Jia Zhangke (born 1970 in Fenyang, Shanxi/China) distinguish themselves through a strong emphasis on Realism. His subject matter comes from daily life in the rural and semi-urban zones of China. He brings the flip side to the officially sanctioned Chinese cinema’s portrayal of these areas to screen. As a result of his work, he enjoys a widespread popularity in Europe, while remaining largely unknown to the greater public in his homeland. His films have won awards at the Berlinale, in Cannes and at the Venice Film Festival.