Yu Nan (, born 5 September 1978) is a Chinese actress. Born in Dalian, Yu Nan studied at the

Beijing Film Academy Beijing Film Academy (BFA; ) is a coeducational state-run higher education institution in Beijing, China. The film school is the largest institution specializing in the tertiary education for film and television production in Asia. The academy ...

, where she graduated in 1999.

Career

Yu Nan started acting at the age of 4, playing role of a little girl with a handkerchief tied to her dress. Later, instead of following her family's advice to study foreign languages and get a university degree, Yu enrolled at the

in 1995. Her feature film debut in '' Lunar Eclipse'' (1999) by Wang Quan'an. Her feisty performance as a shy, retiring wife by day and a wild party animal by night won her Best Actress at the Deauville Asian Film Festival. The recognition caught the attention of French producers, who cast her in ''Rage'' (2003). She subsequently starred in three more films with Wang Quan'an. ''

Jingzhe ''Jīngzhé'', 惊蛰, is the 3rd of the 24 solar terms (節氣) in the traditional Chinese calendars. It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 345° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 360°. More often, it refers to t ...

'' (2003) earned her Best Actress accolades at the

Golden Rooster Award The Golden Rooster Awards () are film awards given in mainland China. The awards were originally given annually, beginning in 1981. The name of the award came from the year of the Rooster in 1981. Award recipients receive a statuette in the shap ...

and Paris International Film Festival in 2003; ''

Tuya's Marriage ''Tuya's Marriage'' is a 2006 Chinese film directed by Wang Quan'an. Storyline The film depicts life in Inner Mongolia, in a region where desertification is making life hard for sheep herders. It tells the story of Tuya and her husband, who agr ...

'' (2006), the

Golden Bear The Golden Bear (german: Goldener Bär) is the highest prize awarded for the best film at the Berlin International Film Festival. The bear is the heraldic animal of Berlin, featured on both the coat of arms and flag of Berlin. History The win ...

winner at the 2007

Berlin International Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the fest ...

, won her the Best Actress prize from the

Chicago International Film Festival The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964 by Michael Kutza, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America. Its logo is a stark, black and white close up of the comp ...

for her portrayal of a shepherdess who seeks a new husband after her first one falls ill; and '' Weaving Girl'' (2009), which won Jury Special Grand prix and the FIPRESCI prize from the 2009

Montreal World Film Festival The Montreal World Film Festival (WFF; french: le Festival des Films du Monde) was one of Canada's oldest international film festivals and the only competitive film festival in North America accredited by the FIAPF (although the Toronto Interna ...

. Yu Nan has also worked with other major Chinese directors, including

Wang Xiaoshuai Wang Xiaoshuai (; born May 22, 1966) is a Chinese film director, screenwriter and occasional actor. He is commonly grouped under the loose association of filmmakers known as the "Sixth Generation" of the Cinema of China. Like others in this gener ...

in '' In Love We Trust'' (2008), which won the Best Screenplay

Silver Bear The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the fes ...

prize at the 2008

, Lee Yun-chan's in ''My DNA Says I Love You'' and Ning Hao, in his Chinese

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

film, '' No Man's Land'' (2013). Helped in part by her fluency in Mandarin, French, and

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

, Yu Nan has played in several international productions, such as the Canadian-Chinese film ''

Diamond Dogs ''Diamond Dogs'' is the eighth studio album by English musician David Bowie, released on 24 May 1974 through RCA Records. Bowie produced the album and recorded it in early 1974 at Olympic and Island Studios in London and Ludolph Studios i ...

'' (2007), and the Hollywood films ''

Speed Racer ''Speed Racer'', also known as , is a Japanese media franchise about Auto racing, automobile racing. ''Mach GoGoGo'' was originally serialized in print in Shueisha's 1966 ''Shōnen Book''. It was released in tankōbon book form by Sun W ...

'' (2008) and ''

The Expendables 2 ''The Expendables 2'' is a 2012 American action film directed by Simon West, written by Richard Wenk and Sylvester Stallone and based on a story by Ken Kaufman, David Agosto and Wenk. Brian Tyler returned to score the film. It is the sequel to ...

'' (2012). Known for her success in art house films, Yu also starred in commercial films. In ''Deadly Delicious'' (2008), she plays a frustrated wife who discovers her husband's extramarital affair and wants him to pay a price for his infidelity; and also starred in ''Design of Death'' (2012), playing a mute widow. Yu's most notable work in recent years include '' Silent Witness'' (2013) and '' Wolf Warriors'' (2015).

Festivals

Yu Nan has served as a jury member at several international film festivals: *

Pusan International Film Festival The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF, previously Pusan International Film Festival, PIFF), held annually in Haeundae-gu, Busan (''also'' Pusan), South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. The first festi ...

in 2007 *

in 2008 *

Golden Rooster Awards The Golden Rooster Awards () are film awards given in mainland China. The awards were originally given annually, beginning in 1981. The name of the award came from the year of the Rooster in 1981. Award recipients receive a statuette in the shap ...

in 2009 *

Shanghai International Film Festival The Shanghai International Film Festival (, French: ''Festival international du film de Shanghai''), abbreviated SIFF, is one of the largest film festivals in East Asia. "China's biggest film festival" according to the Hollywood Reporter. Nex ...

in 2009 *

in 2010 *

in 2013

Filmography

Yu Nan at chinesemov.com
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Awards

Notes and references

External links

*
Yu Nan
at the Chinese Movie database * {{DEFAULTSORT:Yu, Nan Actresses from Dalian Beijing Film Academy alumni Living people 21st-century Chinese actresses Chinese film actresses 20th-century Chinese actresses 1978 births