Career
Trained as a carpenter, Zhang"s cinematic career began when he joined the Shanghai Film Studio in the mid-1970s as an actor. Beginning with 1988"s Kidnapping Karajan, Zhang has carved himself a niche with urban comedies, often based in the city of Shanghai. Zhang Jianya has also expanded his interests into producing in his role as the head of the 3rd Creative Group at the Shanghai Film Studio, as well as into other genres, including action-thrillers such as 1999"s Crash Landing and 2002"s Red Snow.
