Zi (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Set in Hong Kong, Zi follows a young woman troubled by visions of her future self after an encounter with a stranger alters the direction of her night. Kogonada writes and directs this 2026 blend of drama, science fiction and romance, featuring Michelle Mao, Haley Lu Richardson and Jin Ha.

Zi is a 2026 film written and directed by Kogonada that combines drama, science fiction and romance. Its story centers on a young woman in Hong Kong whose visions of her future self give an unexpected encounter with a stranger larger consequences.

Michelle Mao leads the cast as Zi, with Haley Lu Richardson, Jin Ha, Valerie May Richardson and John Shea also appearing. The film is listed with a runtime of 1 hour and 39 minutes and uses Cantonese, Mandarin and English.

Zi movie details

Story without spoilers

The film follows Zi, a young woman haunted by visions of who she may become. During a night in Hong Kong, she meets a stranger, and that encounter begins to shift the course of the evening—and potentially the direction of her life.

The premise places identity, possible futures and an unexpected human connection at the center of the story. The supplied details identify the film as a drama, science-fiction work and romance, without revealing how Zi’s visions or the encounter ultimately develop.

What to expect

Zi can be approached as a genre blend rather than a straightforward single-category film. Its dramatic foundation comes from a young woman confronting visions of her future self, while the science-fiction element is built into that unusual premise. The meeting with a stranger supplies the romantic and personal dimension.

The Hong Kong setting is central to the supplied story description, and the film’s multilingual presentation includes Cantonese, Mandarin and English. The listed keyword “experimental cinema” also indicates an unconventional framing in its metadata, though the available information does not specify its visual style or structure.

Cast and creative team

Michelle Mao plays Zi, the film’s young central character. Haley Lu Richardson appears as Elle, while Valerie May Richardson is credited as Elle (Older). Jin Ha plays Min, and John Shea is also part of the cast, with no character listed for his role.

Kogonada serves as both director and writer. Zi is produced by Fragmentia.

• Michelle Mao as Zi
• Haley Lu Richardson as Elle
• Jin Ha as Min
• Valerie May Richardson as Elle (Older)
• John Shea

Release and production context

Zi is listed as a 2026 release with a release date of November 6, 2026. Its status is recorded as “Released,” and its runtime is 1 hour and 39 minutes. The production country is the United States of America, while the story is set in Hong Kong. Spoken languages are Cantonese, Mandarin and English.

Production companies: Fragmentia

Zi official trailer

Watch the official trailer on YouTube

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With its Hong Kong setting, future-facing premise and meeting between its central character and a stranger, Zi brings together personal drama, science fiction and romance. The available details present it as a focused, multilingual feature led by Michelle Mao and shaped by Kogonada’s writing and direction.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb