Born in the northern city of Shenyang in 1965, Gong Li enrolled in the Central Academy of Drama's acting department in 1985 and graduated in 1989. While still a student, she made her stunning screen debut in Zhang Yimou's Red Sorghum (1988). She then started in a string of films directed by Zhang, including Judou (1990), Raise the Red Lantern (1991), The Story of Qiu Ju (1992, which earned her a Best Actress Award at Venice Film Festival), To Live (1994) and Shanghai Triad (1995). Her other films include Li Hanziang's The Empress Dowager (1989), Ching Siu-tung's A Terracotta Warrior (1990) and Sylvia Chang's Mary from Beijing (1992).