ZHANG Tao is a Chinese director (People's Republic of China), screenwriter and actor. Born in the Shandong Province, the birthplace of Confucius, ZHANG Tao is the son of peasants. He first studied law while working as a civil servant. He quit his career to depict, through cinema, modern China and its evolutions. He joined the prestigious Central Academy of Dramatic Art of Beijing, within the department of theory and practice of the film from which he graduated in 2015. In 2012, during his studies, he shot the short film Yi Ping which received the prize of the "best actress" at the 9th festival of the film of the Central Academy of Dramatic Art of Beijing. In 2015, thanks to his short film Laughing to Die, he was again selected for the 10th edition of the Central Academy of Dramatic Arts Film Festival in Beijing, where he won the Best Short Film Award ". He also received the "Special Jury Prize" at the 18th Shanghai International Film Festival in the short film category. In the same year, the film was screened in the "Exchange with China" selection at the Premiers Plans festival in Angers, in the official selection of the 12th China Independent Film Festival and at the 68th Cannes Film Festival at Short Film Corner. His first feature film, Last Laugh was filmed in the Chinese Shandong countryside. This Franco- Chinese film, was co-produced by the production company House on Fire and Bu Tong Pictures (China - Beijing) and Tender Madness (China - Hong Kong) and obtained the support of the ACID, (Cinema distribution of independent films Association), Last Laugh was presented at the Festival de Cannes in 2017. 2017 "LAST LAUGH" (dir. Zhang Tao) OFFICIAL SELECTION | ACID Selection Cannes | Festival des Trois Continent | Festival d’Amiens | FIRST International Film Festival AWARDS | FIRST International Film Festival - Best Film - best Director | Festival international du film d'Amiens Jury Award
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