The ambitious and determined Lianqing is one of millions of Burmese fleeing their homeland looking for a better life. Traveling with the aid of human traffickers by boat, motorbike and truck to Bangkok, she soon finds a job, a home and a partner: the helpful Guo, who accompanies her on the harsh journey across the border to Thailand. Without papers however, their life is very insecure: there are no well-paid jobs for illegal immigrants and there’s a good chance they’ll be arrested and deported. As far as Lianqing is concerned, the final destination she dreams of is not Bangkok but Taiwan. And she will do virtually anything to make this dream come true. In The Road to Mandalay, Midi Z, who himself grew up in Myanmar (then still Burma) but emigrated to Taiwan at the age of sixteen, sketches a gruesome, alarming and topical portrait of his compatriots. He also tells a universal story: a tragic love story that will not leave the heart unmoved.
Film details
Productielanden
France, Germany, Myanmar, Taiwan
Jaar
2016
Festivaleditie
IFFR 2017
Lengte
108'
Medium/Formaat
DCP
Taal
Burmese, Taiwanese
Première status
None
Director
Midi Z
Producer
Patrick Mao Huang, Midi Z, Vincent Wang, Katharina Suckale, Arfi Lamba, Aditya Assarat, Zhao De-Fu, Dominique Welinski / DW
Screenplay
Midi Z
Cinematography
Tom Fan
Editing
Matthieu Laclau
Production design
Akekarat Homlaor
Sound design
Tu Duu-Chih, Wu Shu-Yao
Music
Lim Giong
Principal cast
Ko Kai, Wu Ke-xi
Production company
Flash Forward Entertainment, Seashore Image Productions, House on Fire, Bombay Berlin Film Production, Myanmar Montage Films, Pop Pictures Co. Ltd.