Tsai Ting-li

Directing

Tsai Ting-li

Ting Li Tsai was born in Tainan, Taiwan. His father is Taiwanese, and his mother is Vietnamese; this mix of cultural heritage inspired him to be a visual storyteller. He is the director of the short film “Southern Journey,” which was nominated for a film festival award, inspired by the conflict he observed between his parents when he was growing up.

Known For

Filmography

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Commonality of TyrannyCommonality of Tyranny · 2026
Commonality of Tyranny
2026
MovieDramaHistory
During the production of a political thriller set in 1960s Taiwan, Mei, a passionate screenwriter, clashes with her director, Lin, and the studio executive who demand the removal of politically sensitive content. As Mei pushes to retain the truth of her grandfather's story, a man both rumored to have executed and saved victims during the White Terror- she becomes entangled in a surreal spiral where the fictional officer on screen begins speaking directly to her conscience. While the crew continues filming under pressure, Mei must decide whether to conform or resist, knowing that to alter the truth is betraying his legacy and identity. As the lines blur between the film set and real life, she faces the unspoken truth: tyranny isn't just historical, systemic, cyclical, and personal.

Director