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On the afternoon of June 21, acclaimed Taiwanese director Midi Z graced the 26th 赌博app MasterClass. Having previously served as a jury member in the Asian New Talent at the 21st 赌博app, Midi Z returned for the Golden Goblet Awards Documentary category. His latest work, THE UNSEEN SISTER, is adapted from the novel “Qiao Sisters”, written by Zhang Yueran, who hosted this insightful session.
Born in Myanmar and raised in Taiwan, Midi Z’s films often focus on society’s underprivileged. His notable works include the feature films RETURN TO BURMA, THE ROAD TO MANDALAY, and NINA WU, as well as documentaries like CITY OF JADE, 14 APPLES, and CLINIC. His films have been showcased at prestigious festivals such as Venice, Cannes, Berlin, Rotterdam, and Busan.
New Directors and the Value of “Ignorance”
With experience in both drama films and documentaries, Midi Z has served as a jury member across various categories at the 赌博app, such as Asia New Talent, Documentary, and 赌博app 赌博app. The films he evaluated for 赌博app 赌博app and Asia New Talent were unfinished projects and works from new directors respectively. Still, he was impressed: “Compared to mature directors, what captivates me most about new directors is their ‘ignorance.’ This innocence, he believes, enables them to create fresh and bold content.
With newness comes boldness. Midi Z values the Asian New Talent highly, as it provides a platform for first-time directors from diverse regions like Iran, India, and beyond. Despite the vast exposure young directors have today due to the internet, and their equally impressive technical prowess, their cultural narratives remain distinct. That’s the value this platform offers. “For instance, a divorce-themed movie in America is vastly different from one set in Shanghai or Beijing. Even if they have the same story and narrative, the richness and uniqueness lie in the cultural and detailed intricacies,” Midi Z explained.
This uniqueness and individuality are what he finds most appealing in a director, especially newcomers. However, as these directors mature and adapt their style to better communicate with audiences, some of that raw, unique quality might be lost.
Midi Z champions innovation and exploration, believing that documentaries offer a freer realm of exploration compared to drama films. Many documentary filmmakers begin without a solid plan, an aspect he finds liberating. He praised the 赌博app for its commitment to the documentary category, noting the impressive works he has seen this year. “Unlike a drama film, a documentary can be a magnifying glass. The object you’re talking about may be small, but it can have a wide view.”
Discovering Oneself Through Reading and Films
Midi Z’s film NINA WU draws its title from Stefan Zweig’s novel, and his new film THE UNSEEN SISTER is adapted from Zhang Yueran’s work. His passion for literature significantly influences his filmmaking. Reading had a lot to do with his becoming a film director, he revealed.
As a Chinese child growing up in Myanmar, Midi Z reminisces, “Apart from climbing hills and getting into trouble, the best way to pass time was reading.” With few Chinese books available locally, he eagerly read anything in Chinese, including his doctor father’s medical books and even the Chinese instructions on soap packaging brought from Yunnan. Later, second-hand magazines and books from Yunnan became available. The first Chinese magazine he read was “Harvest”, and the first Chinese novels were Zhang Xianliang’s “Mimosa” and “Half Man is Woman”. As a young reader, Midi Z gradually realized that reading was not just about entering the author’s world, but about understanding and piecing together his own identity. “Unconsciously, you see yourself in the novelist’s work, and through reading, you realize how your current values and family perspectives have been shaped.”
Before moving to Taiwan at 15, Midi Z was unaware of cinema as an art form. It was only at 18, while helping a friend film a wedding, that he delved into movies. The first film he watched was the famous “8½”, which he found boring and often fell asleep to. Similarly, he slept through Bergman’s “Wild Strawberries.” However, years later, watching WILD STRAWBERRIES again, he was profoundly moved by the elderly character facing death, relating it to his own uncertainty between Taiwan and Myanmar. This experience led him, almost by accident, into the film industry. “I think viewers love a film because they find themselves in it. You like something not for its own sake, but because it helps piece together who you are.”
Now Focusing More on Chinese Films
Initially, Midi Z watched films by renowned directors, but after becoming a filmmaker, he views films with two perspectives: as a student eager to learn and as someone open to new directors’ works.
Currently, Midi Z is more focused on Chinese-language films. He believes that while Western films, especially blockbusters, offer insights into technical advancements and dramatic techniques, Chinese films hold greater appeal in terms of cinematic spirit. He praised Zhang Yimou for maintaining his artistic spirit even in his commercial films. He finds Cao Baoping’s work particularly distinctive, appreciating his films from TROUBLE MAKERS to ACROSS THE FURIOUS SEA. Discussing film industry exemplars, he cited Wuershan and Guo Fan. Midi Z also acknowledged his significant influence from Jia Zhangke, noting their shared background of portraying small-town life.
As a rare director who works in both fiction and documentary, Midi Z often faces questions about balancing “narrative” and “reality”. He believes the difference between the two is not significant. “It is often mentioned by me that once the camera starts rolling, reality disappears, just like in a narrative film. How you frame the scene, the character, the different camera angles, and the editing – all these are designed. I think a film, even a documentary, isn’t about exploring reality but rather truth. These are two different things.”
Speaking of how to present and what kind of “truth” to present, he believes each director has a unique approach. “It’s about expressing your perspective on the world, a view that is uniquely yours. It may not be correct, but it’s your view. So, whether I’m making a drama film or a documentary, there’s my view and my experience, and I’m expressing my relationship with the world.”