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 work focuses on the margins of contemporary life, critically examining gender, historical experience, and collective memory while exploring a distinctive and expressive cinematic language.