Biography
Tianyi Zhai began her journey in theatrical directing at the age of 14 with In the Youth, a musical exploring how different family backgrounds impact adolescent growth. The production was well received by Beijing’s parent community and led to her acceptance into the prestigious “Dao Yuan” Gifted Program at Beijing No. 4 High School, one of the best high schools in China, where she specialized in theatre, film, and television directing.
At 16, Zhai wrote, directed, and produced her second original musical, The No. 7 Experimental Class, a reflective piece on her time in the “Dao Yuan” program and the Chinese education system. It premiered at Beijing Yuyu Theatre and toured multiple high schools across Beijing.
As her third original musical, 4 Love, prepared for its international debut at the Edinburgh International Festival, the outbreak of COVID-19 in China brought live theatre to a halt. This turning point led Zhai to reevaluate her path and shift her creative focus to filmmaking.
In 2021, supported by the Katherine Ling Scholarship, the Chinese Student Scholarship, and the Chinese Alumni Association Scholarship, Zhai enrolled at the University of Michigan, where she is double majoring in Film, Television, and Media (FTVM) and Psychology. She maintained a 4.0 GPA and received numerous academic honors, including College of LSA Honors, designation as a James B. Angell Scholar, University Honors, the William J. Branstrom Freshman Prize, the Nancy Waters & Mark Waters Scholarship, and First Place in the 2024 Michigan Association of Broadcasters Foundation Scholarship.
During her time at Michigan, Zhai written, directed, and produced five original short films and two TV pilot, some of which are shown on the Creative Works page. She founded and led the first and largest cross-cultural film production club, Cinnamon Cinema, in the University of Michigan’s history. She also launched the inaugural Ann Arbor Chinese Film Festival, sponsored by the Department of Film, Television, and Media and the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs.
Expanding into television broadcasting, Zhai served as the Sports Channel Director and later as the 30th President and General Manager of WOLV-TV, the university’s official student-run television station. There, she produced one sports program, one entertainment show, and the flagship show “WOLV-TV Spotlight.
Zhai acted as the writer/director/producer for her senior honors thesis film Swallows Under Eaves, a 25-minute historical drama film about how Wu Yi-Fang, a Chinese female scholar at U of M in the 1920s, changed her mind from pursuing research in the U.S. to trailblazing women’s education back in China. More information about Swallows Under Eaves can be found here. Because of this film, she received the highest distinction and highest honors in her Bachelor of Arts in Film, Television, and Media degree.
Tianyi zhai productions 