City of Jade (Fei cui zhi cheng)

Dir. Midi Z. Taiwan, Myanmar. 2016, 99 mins. Midi Z was only five when his 16-year-old brother abandoned the family. There were rumors that he had found riches in the mythical City of Jade. The family only saw him again at the father’s funeral in 1997, poor and addicted to opium. Years later, after Midi Z had moved to Taiwan and become a film director, the brother is released from the Mandalay prison. In search of wealth in the form of a jade gemstone, he sets off for the mines, just like countless others in Myanmar’s war-torn Chinese border state of Kachin. Midi Z accompanied him with his camera, following him on his motorbike through the jungle, pushing ever further into dangerous territory. City of Jade powerfully documents a cinematic attempt to bring together two very different brothers.

Order and watch the film online here (tickets: $5).

A series pass for all films in Six Films by Midi Z is available for $30 ($25 MoMI members).