Production

Zichen Zhao

Zichen Zhao was born and raised in Kalgan, China. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Screenwriting from Beijing Film Academy and an MFA in Film from Columbia University in New York. The short films he directed and produced have been selected for prestigious film festivals, including Vancouver IFF, Palm Springs ShortFest, HollyShorts, San Diego Asian FF, FIRST IFF, Cleveland IFF, among others. His …

Known For

The Monkey King Is a Girl

The Monkey King Is a Girl · 2024

The Monkey King Is a Girl

Female actress Sun Guo finagles her way into an audition for the male role of the Monkey King and, unexpectedly, is given the part by the female director. Through a process of sacrifice and reinvention, Sun Guo sinks deeper and deeper into the role and what it represents.

The Kalgan Horse

The Kalgan Horse · 2026

The Kalgan Horse

In the borderlands of farming and herding in northern China, a Mongolian horse awaits the fate of castration, while a 10-year-old boy, determined to protect it, must confront violence and cruelty beyond his understanding.

Filmography

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The Monkey King Is a Girl

The Monkey King Is a Girl · 2024

The Monkey King Is a Girl

Female actress Sun Guo finagles her way into an audition for the male role of the Monkey King and, unexpectedly, is given the part by the female director. Through a process of sacrifice and reinvention, Sun Guo sinks deeper and deeper into the role and what it represents.

Producer

The Kalgan Horse

The Kalgan Horse · 2026

The Kalgan Horse

In the borderlands of farming and herding in northern China, a Mongolian horse awaits the fate of castration, while a 10-year-old boy, determined to protect it, must confront violence and cruelty beyond his understanding.

Director