Xie Jin

Lore & Background

He moved to Shanghai in the 1930s, then to Hong Kong in 1938 for a year of study. After the establishment of the PRC, he studied at the research institute of politics of North China Revolutionary University, then worked at Changjiang Film Studio and Shanghai Film Studio. Xie directed more than 20 films. Jia Zhangke remarked that it was still risky for Xie to make films about this traumatic period in the 1980s. On 23 August 2008, Xie Jin's son died of cancer. Two months later, on 18 October 2008, Xie Jin's body was discovered in his hotel room in Shangyu. Hundreds of celebrities and thousands of others attended his funeral.

Reader's Guide

His career spanned from the early PRC era through the reform period, and his work often engaged with politically sensitive themes, such as class reconciliation and the trauma of the Cultural Revolution, as seen in *Two Stage Sisters* and his later films. His legacy is that of a director who navigated political constraints while producing popular and award-winning films that resonated with Chinese audiences and earned global acclaim.

Did You Know?

• Xie Jin was the only Chinese director to date to be a member of both the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Directors Guild of America.
• His debut film, *Woman Basketball Player No. 5*, was the first color sports film in the People's Republic of China.
• Six of his films were voted Best Picture in the Hundred Flowers Awards.
• After his death, media figure Song Zude made derogatory statements about Xie Jin, prompting millions to stand against him in respect.