Born in 1954 in Beijing, this director belongs to the fifth generation of filmmakers who are most concerned about the ordinary lives of the small individual (rather than the fate and history of the nation); he graduated from the Cinematography Department of the Beijing Film Academy in 1975; since then his thrillers received commercial success, but due to government censorship, several of his films were prevented from being released. Very few people not in China knew about Zhou before the 1994 release of Ermo.
Selected filmography
- 1987 Desperation 最后的疯狂 co-directed with Shi Chengfeng; also known as The Last Frenzy
- 1987 In Their Prime 他们正年轻; co-directed with Guo Fangfang
- 1987 Obsession疯狂的代价; Also known as The Price of Frenzy
- 1991 No Regrets青春无悔; Also known as No Regrets About Youth
- 1992 The Impulse of Youth青春冲动
- 1993 The Lie Detector 测谎器
- 1993 The Trail 大路
- 1994 The Black Mountain 黑山路
- 1994 Ermo 二嫫
- 1996The Emperor’s Shadow秦颂
- 1998 The Common People