Midi Z

**Midi Z**, born *Chao Teh‑in* on December 18, 1982 in Lashio, Shan State, Myanmar, is a remarkably versatile filmmaker whose work bridges the cultural landscapes of Southeast Asia and East Asia. Growing up as the youngest of five children in a modest household—his mother a doctor and his father a cook—he endured poverty while absorbing a rich tapestry of Chinese heritage from his parents and the historic ambiance of his ancestral home in Nanking, which later infused his cinematic vision with themes of displacement and identity.

After earning a scholarship at the age of sixteen, Chao relocated to Taiwan, where he completed high school and pursued both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in design at the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology. His academic background in design sharpened his visual storytelling, leading him to naturalize as a Taiwanese citizen in 2011 and debut with *Return to Burma* (2011). Since then, he has crafted a distinctive filmography that includes the critically acclaimed *Ice Poison* (2014), which represented Taiwan at the 87th Academy Awards, and the haunting *The Road to Mandalay* (2016), screened for the first time in his native Myanmar. In addition to directing, he writes, shoots, and edits his films, earning honors such as Outstanding Taiwanese Filmmaker of the Year at the 53rd Golden Horse Awards and the FEDEORA Award at the 73rd Venice International Film Festival. His oeuvre, spanning features, documentaries, and shorts, continues to explore the tensions of migration, marginalization, and the human condition, confirming his status as an influential voice in contemporary Asian cinema.