The Story of Qiu Ju

film by Zhang [1992]

Also known as: “Qiu Ju Goes to Court”, “Qiu Ju da guansi”

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July 16, 2026

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The Story of Qiu Ju is a 1992 film directed by Zhang Yimou, starring Gong Li as a pregnant, rural wife. The film follows Qiu Ju as she persistently seeks justice from local bureaucracy after her husband is injured by a village elder. Despite its unglamorous portrayal and focus on everyday struggles, the film was a critical success, winning the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and earning Gong Li the best actress award. The film marked a shift for Zhang Yimou, moving away from elaborate visuals to a more grounded, contemporary drama.12

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Zhang Yimou
…Qiu Ju da guansi (1992; The Story of Qiu Ju), Zhang eschewed the stunning cinematography and ornate settings of his earlier works for a gritty contemporary drama centring on a young woman who seeks justice after a village elder attacks her husband. The rise of communism and its impact on…
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…Qiu Ju da guansi (1992; The Story of Qiu Ju), Zhang eschewed the stunning cinematography and ornate settings of his earlier works for a gritty contemporary drama centring on a young woman who seeks justice after a village elder attacks her husband. The rise of communism and its impact on…
Read More

Gong Li
…to Court, also known as The Story of Qiu Ju) she played a decidedly unglamorous country wife, who, though heavily pregnant during most of the film, stubbornly wages a fight against the local bureaucracy. The film was a triumph at the Venice Film Festival, where it received the Golden Lion…
Read More
…to Court, also known as The Story of Qiu Ju) she played a decidedly unglamorous country wife, who, though heavily pregnant during most of the film, stubbornly wages a fight against the local bureaucracy. The film was a triumph at the Venice Film Festival, where it received the Golden Lion…
Read More