The Road to Mandalay
By Midi Z
Country: Taiwan, France, Germany, Myanmar
Languages: Thai, Burmese
Casting: Kai Ko, Wu Ke-Xi
Production year: 2016
Runtime: 01h48
Production company: Seashore Image Productions
The human traffickers have a well-established route: from Burma into Thailand across the Mekong River at Tchilek, along quiet country roads, passing bribed police checkpoints and into Bangkok, where the illegal migrants are on their own. Lianqing is one of five illegals who travels this route one summer night in 2013; along the way a fellow migrant called Guo is kind to her, and their fates later become entwined. Once in Thailand, Lianqing finds ‘underground’ jobs, saves money and finds out where to buy fake identity papers with the hope of making it to Taiwan. But Guo has different ambitions…
Venice Days 2016 – Fedeora Prize for Best Film
Toronto IFF 2016 – Contemporary World Cinema
Brisbane Asia Pacific Screen Awards 2016
Vancouver IFF 2016
Busan IFF 2016 – A Window on Asian Cinema
Mumbai IFF 2016 – World Cinema Section
Sao Paulo IFF 2016 – International Perspective Section
Memory! Heritage IFF 2016 – Opening Film
Kolkata IFF 2016 – Asian Select Section
Five Flavors FF 2016 – Asian Film Review
Festival International du Film de Bruxelles 2016 – International Competition
Tokyo Filmex 2016 – Competition
Bribane Asia Pacific FF 2016 – A Matter of Form Section
Marrakech IFF 2016 – Competition
Dubai IFF 2016 – Cinema of the World Section
Kerala IFF 2016 – Migration Films Section
Icaf Chennai 2016 – World Cinema Section
Black Movie IFF 2017
IFFR Rotterdam 2017 – Voices Section
Göteborg IFF 2017 – Festival Favourites Section
Bengaluru IFF 2017 – Asian Cinema Competition
Amsterdam Cinemasia FF 2017
Helsinki Cine Asia FF 2017
Febiofest 2017
Habitat IFF 2017
Budapest Titanic FF 2017
Minneapolis St Paul IFF 2017
Los Angeles Asian Pacific FF 2017
Asian Film Festival in Bologna 2017
München IFF 2017
Venice Days Screenings in Romania 2017
New Asian FF in Lincoln Center 2017
« Midi Z produces his best work yet with “The Road to Mandalay" [...], bound to travel far and wide. » - Variety
« Midi Z’s control of mood, pace and performance builds an engrossing drama. » - Screen
« Intensely moving film with a heart-and-soul lead performance. » - The Guardian
