Director, producer and writer born in 1970 in Fenyang, Shanxi, China, he graduated from Beijing Film Academy.
His major works include Xiao Wu (1998), Platform (2000), Unknown Pleasures (2002), The World (2004), Still Life (2006), 24 City (2008), I Wish I knew (2010), A Touch of Sin (2013), Mountains May Depart (2015), Ash Is Purest White (2018), and Swimming Out Till The Sea Turns Blue (2020). His debut feature Xiao Wu won the grand prize at The International Forum of New Cinema in the 48th Berlin International Film Festival. In 2006, Still Life won the Golden Lion at the 63rd Venice International Film Festival. Jia Zhang-Ke received the Leopard of Honor of the 63rd Festival del film Locarno in 2010. In 2013, he won the award for Best Screenplay at the 66th Cannes International Film Festival. In 2015, Jia Zhang-ke was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award Carrosse d’Or (Golden Coach) at the Cannes International Film Festival.
In 2017 he initiated Pingyao International Film Festival with the aim to promote works from young directors and to enhance the communication between Chinese and international filmmakers. In 2019, he founded Lüliang Literature Festival in the village, bringing the literature and reading atmosphere into rural community.