Chinese actress Gong Li.[File photo]

Gong Li: The first rose from China Venice has seen

Veteran actress Gong Li had many achievements prior to 1992, but that was the year when she truly stepped into the global spotlight. Gong Li walked onto the red carpet wearing a stunning qipao (a type of traditional Chinese dress) with patterns of roses, alongside director Zhang Yimou with their film The Story of Qiu Ju. Gong Li has also participated as a festival judge in 2002 and 2007, even before her longtime work partner, Zhang. Venice did not care too much about her on- and off-screen romance with the director, and instead, focused on the art that sparked between the two.