Li Gong

Gong Li, an iconic figure of Chinese cinema, has established a truly global renown during a remarkable, most singular career. She is the first Chinese actress to have achieved success at the major international festivals, such as Berlin, Venice and Cannes, where her performances have won great critical acclaim. Her prominence in the movie industry and her strong personality have also led to her presiding at many of the world’s film festivals.

She has played central leading roles, bringing life and success to the works of famous directors such as Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige and Michael Mann, among others. Her name will be forever linked to the Festival de Cannes, especially for her unforgettable performances in Zhang Yimou’s Grand Prix winner To Live and Chen Kaige’s Palme d’Or, Farewell My Concubine.

Renowned for her great independence of mind, Gong Li constantly frees herself from stereotypes and only accepts the roles of very strong women. When she refused the role of James Bond girl in Tomorrow Never Dies, she declared: "The presentation of the female character was not complex enough to give me the material to fully express myself. I have always favored roles of women of character, played the register of resistance”. 

Between 1997 and 2018, Gong Li was Jury President of the 50th Berlin International Film Festival and 59th Venice International Film Festival. She was a Jury member of the 50th Festival de Cannes, and Jury President of the 16th Tokyo International Film Festival, 17th Shanghai International Film Festival and 55th Golden Horse Awards.

Gong Li continues to express her strong vision and ambition - and to gain ever more recognition from the film industry. On May 19, 2019, she received the Women In Motion Award presented by François-Henri Pinault, Pierre Lescure and Thierry Frémaux at Cannes Film Festival. Gong Li was also awarded the Commander of Order of Arts and Letters by France’s Minister of Culture and was elected as one of the 16 artists who influence human culture and arts.

Women In Motion