Zhang Jianya

Zhang Jianya (, ) (born 1951) is a Chinese film director. As a graduate of the 1982 class of the Beijing Film Academy, Zhang is a founding member of the so-called Fifth Generation, a group that also includes in its numbers directors such as Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, and Tian Zhuangzhuang.

Directorial career Trained as a carpenter, Zhang's cinematic career began when he joined the Shanghai Film Studio in the mid-1970s as an actor. Beginning with 1988's Kidnapping Karajan, Zhang has carved himself a niche with urban comedies, often based in the city of Shanghai. ''