Cinematic chronicler

Jia Zhangke is feted in arthouse cinema as the pre-eminent filmmaker depicting contemporary Chinese life in feature films and documentaries. On the big screen, he chronicles the personal struggles and emotional voyages of ordinary folks in China's fast-modernising rural towns and cities. His characters are drawn from real life, from a small-time pickpocket to coal miners or a touring musical troupe.

With a keen eye and a flair for storytelling, coupled with the drive and aspiration of an entrepreneur, he has in a career spanning two decades mastered almost every aspect of the film industry - from scriptwriting, directing, producing and acting, to investing in cinemas and founding China's premier arthouse film festival. He also runs a restaurant in his native city of Fenyang, in Shanxi province.

In the last three years, Jia has undertaken a new venture, one as far from the beautiful imagery in his films as heaven is from earth, as a delegate to China's national advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). After conducting thorough field research in Beijing, at the organisation's annual session this year he presented a proposal to assist the elderly in adapting to the pervasive use of digital technology in daily life.