Zi (film)
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- Chung An
- Christopher Radcliff
- Benjamin Loeb
- Kogonada
- Haley Lu Richardson
- Michelle Mao
- Jin Ha
- Michelle Mao
- Haley Lu Richardson
- Jin Ha
| Zi | |
|---|---|
_poster.jpg) Promotional poster | |
| Directed by | Kogonada |
| Written by | Kogonada |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Benjamin Loeb |
| Edited by | Kogonada |
Release date |
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Running time | 99 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Languages |
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Zi (stylized as zi) is a 2026 American experimental drama film edited, produced, written and directed by Kogonada, starring Michelle Mao, Haley Lu Richardson, and Jin Ha. It premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.[1][2]
In Hong Kong, a young woman haunted by visions of her future self meets a stranger who changes the course of her night — and possibly her life.[1]
Cast
- Michelle Mao as Zi
- Haley Lu Richardson as Elle
- Jin Ha as Min
Production
The film was shot on location in Hong Kong over three weeks in October 2025.[3][4] Tired of the logistics and meetings associated with big-budget productions he had experienced on his last film, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey (2025), Kogonada assembled as small a cast and crew as possible, with the intention of shooting spontaneously and with little script prepared.[5]
The initial team consisted of seven people: Kogonada, the three actors, cinematographer Benjamin Loeb (who had shot the director's two previous films), and producers Christopher Radcliff and Chung An. In an interview with IndieWire, Kogonada said, "The invitation was, 'Hey, let's all meet in Hong Kong, we all have to pay for ourselves. Let's just meet there and let's create something together and let's do it for a few weeks.'"[5] Prior to filming, he recommended that Richardson watch Chungking Express (1994), also set in Hong Kong; she later suggested a blonde wig for her character as an homage to Brigitte Lin's character in the film.[6]
The team spent just three days on pre-production after arriving. Loeb often shot in locations the day after finding them during location scouting, with Kogonada calling the process "liberating".[5] A week after filming ended, the director produced a rough edit that was submitted to Sundance Film Festival. The seven members are all credited as producers, with each receiving equal equity if the film is sold to a distribution company.[4]
Release
Zi had its world premiere at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2026.[1][2] It is Kogonada's third film to play at the festival.[1]
