Zhang Xianmin

Biography

Zhang Xianmin is a Chinese independent film critic, curator, and actor, born on August 9, 1964, in Nanjing, Jiangsu. He earned a bachelor's degree in French from the Beijing Foreign Studies University in 1985 and a master's degree in cinema from the University of Paris III in 1987. He currently teaches at the Beijing Film Academy. He starred in Lou Ye's film *Summer Palace* (2005), which was selected for the main competition at the 59th Cannes Film Festival. He served as artistic advisor for Bi Gan's debut film *Kaili Blues* (2015), which won awards at the Locarno International Film Festival and the Golden Horse Awards. Zhang also chaired the organizing committee of the China Independent Film Festival and has served on the juries of major international film festivals, including the Hong Kong International Film Festival, Taipei Film Festival, Busan International Film Festival, Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival, and Rotterdam Film Festival.