Taiwan-based Myanmar filmmaker Midi Z has revealed that his upcoming film The Exiles, starring Sam Worthington, David Duchovny and Kesey Wu, is a modern, original story retelling of Joseph Conrad’s classic novel Heart of Darkness.
In an interview with Variety at the Malaysian International Film Festival (MIFFest), where she served as a juror 15 years after her directorial debut, Midi-Z reflected on the unexpected path that led her to filmmaking, the lasting influence of Taiwanese writer Hou Hsiao-hsien, and how Exile continued her exploration of identity and exile throughout her career.
“I never went to film school,” says Midi Z. “I was just someone who loved movies. I learned from online reviews, books, and all sorts of other resources.”
One of the defining moments of his career came while studying abroad in Taiwan. Midi Z, which was selected for the first Golden Horse Film Academy in 2009, caught the attention of Hou Hsiao-hsien, who personally mentored him, selected the script, and even accompanied him on location scouting in New Taipei City for what would become his early Myanmar films.
That experience extended beyond filmmaking. After filming, Hou gathered together other filmmakers and actors, including French film legend Isabelle Huppert, who was also invited to join the show for karaoke.
“Director Hou said to me, ‘Go back and make a film about your homeland,'” Midi-Z recalls. That advice became the basis of his filmmaking over the past decade and a half.
“Southeast Asian films are different from Chinese films,” he says. “It exists in a corner and is very personal.”
Inspired by Hou’s humanistic approach, Midi Z has continued to make films in different countries, returning repeatedly to questions of migration, cultural identity, and belonging.
His latest work, “The Exiles,” expands on that thematic journey, drawing inspiration in part from real-life criminal cases in Southeast Asia.
Francis Ford Coppola famously adapted Conrad’s novel into Apocalypse Now, but Midi Z says his interpretation goes in a different direction and tells an original fictional story.
The U.S.-Taiwanese co-production will be shot entirely in Taiwan, and approximately 90% of the dialogue will be in English. The film is in early post-production and Midi Z hopes to release it in 2027.
“There are completely different aesthetics and perspectives across the 10 competition entries,” he says of his role as this year’s MIFFest juror. “Every movie has its own voice and its own identity.”
As the number of film festivals continues to grow across Asia, Midi Z believes that originality is more important than ever. “Movies are half art and half business,” he added. “The biggest challenge isn’t learning how to make movies; it’s how to stay original when trends and mainstream tastes are constantly pulling filmmakers in different directions.”
He argues that filmmakers should respect their individuality rather than following commercial formulas. “It doesn’t have to be mainstream,” he says. “You need to protect your own voice.”
Looking ahead, Midi Z would like to work more closely with filmmakers in Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia and Thailand. Malaysia shares historical and cultural ties through a common British colonial heritage, while Thailand’s geographic proximity to Myanmar creates a natural opportunity to tell stories across borders.
Having lived and worked in multiple countries throughout his career, Midi Z no longer defines home as a fixed location. “Everyone has to find a way to survive both physically and mentally,” he says. “The fluidity of identity and cultural belonging gives me the freedom to tell stories. It also gives me endless possibilities as a filmmaker.”
