Weimin Zhang
Biography
Weimin Zhang is a highly accomplished Professor of Cinema at San Francisco State University. With a diverse background as an award-winning filmmaker, cinematographer, and multimedia designer, she has made significant contributions to the film industry and acdemia. Her extensive portfolio includes work on numerous acclaimed films, documentaries, and TV drama series in both China and the United States.
Among her notable achievements, Weimin directed and produced The House of Spirit (2000), which received the Women in Film Award and was featured in several film festivals. In 2008, she served as a U.S. unit director for the award-winning documentary The Ever-Lasting Flame – Beijing 2008, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Montreal Film Festival and became part of the permanent collection at the Olympic Museum.
Weimin also directed the feature-length documentary Missing Home: The Last Days of Beijing Hutongs (2013), which garnered critical acclaim and received awards at multiple international film festivals. Other notable works include CEO (2003), Green Mountain in a Drawer (2009), and the documentary Nushu – The Secret Writing of Women in China (1999), which won Best Documentary Film at the Torino International Women’s Film Festival.
She has recently completed a feature documentary film, Of Color and Ink, exploring the life and art of the renowned Chinese artist Chang Dai-chien during his over 30 years of exile overseas. The film has achieved significant success, winning numerous international film festival awards and securing worldwide distribution.
In addition, Weimin has always explored the integration of art and technology. Her interactive multimedia project Nushu: The Secret Language of Women was published by China Encyclopedia and won the 2007 International Multimedia AVA Award. In 2007, the Library of Congress in the United States included this work in its permanent collection. In 2018, Weimin further advanced this exploration with the immersive virtual reality project Hutong in Live, which integrated VR, 3D design, and 360-degree live production to provide viewers with an immersive experience of the vanished Beijing Hutongs. This project was selected for the CINEQUEST Film and VR Festival and received notable interviews in CBS and media coverage.
Weimin Zhang’s exceptional talent, expertise, and dedication to the art of cinema make her a highly respected figure in both the industry and academia. Her contributions as a filmmaker and educator have had a significant impact on the professional field and directly contribute to teaching and learning.
Education
- M.F.A., Ohio University, Athens
- M.A., Ohio University, Athens
- B.F.A., Beijing Film Academy
Selected Publications & Filmography
Filmography
- "The Everlasting Flame: Beijing 2008", 35mm, documentary (U.S. unit - Director), 2009
- "Genius of Chang Dai-Chien", documentary (Director, Preproduction)
- "The Last Days of Beijing Hutongs", feature, documentary (Director, Editor, Finishing)
- "Dreaming the Quiet Man", HD, feature, documentary (U.S. unit - Cinematographer), 2010
- "I love You Daddy", HD, short (Director of Photography), 2009
Publications
- Zhang, W.(forthcoming) The Spirit of Tibet – photography book, scheduled publishing by Phoenix Press & Media Network, China, (Scheduled publishing in October 2011)
- Zhang, W. (2006). The Secret Language of Women – Interactive multimedia DVD-Rom, published by China Encyclopedia Press, Beijing
- Aitken, I., ed.(2006), Zhang, W. “Bumming in Beijing” (article) in The Encyclopedia of the Documentary Film, Volume 1-3 New York: Routledge.
Interviews
- Zhang, Weimin. Integrating Online Multimedia. Pachyderm Presentations: CSU Projects.