Pete Teo

2018 saw the world premiere and Golden Leopard nomination of “A Family Tour” by emigre China filmmaker Ying Liang at Locarno Film Festival starring a leading cast of Gong Zhe, Nai An and Teo.

Teo played Tony in Dreamworks / Paramount's Ghost In The Shell, a live action adaptation of the classic manga/anime. Directed by Rupert Sanders and starring Scarlett Johansson, the blockbuster film was released globally in March 2017.

Together with Liew Seng Tat, Teo released “Citizens”, a remarkable 2017 National Day video with the Transport Minister of Malaysia Liow Tiong Lai playing both himself and a confrontational citizen. Rather than celebratory as was normal practice, the video was somber in its questioning of the country’s direction, unprecedented in its apologetic confessions and provocative in its use of visual imagery.

In February 2015, Teo was chosen to represent Malaysia in Art Midwest's Caravanserai project, where he undertook a tour of Texas, Georgia and Florida conducting exhibitions and workshops on his film work. In August of the same year, he shot a rare two hour interview with ex-Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in Tokyo as part of an ambitious documentary project on recent Malaysian political history. The project has as yet an undetermined release date.

16 September 2013 – Teo released "Hari Malaysia" – a music video funded by the public celebrating the 50th year of the formation of Malaysia. Made with archive news footage and extensive CGI visual effects, the video featured a cast of superstars and politicians including Michelle Yeoh, Nurul Izzah Anwar, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Ambiga, Namewee and more. The video also featured the songs "Slipstream" (performed by Melina William) and "Kembara" (performed by Asmidar).

Teo released a music video promoting the vote entitled Undilah in 2011. Featuring celebrities and both government and opposition politicians, the video was banned for broadcasting by the Information Minister Rais Yatim shortly after release. In the subsequent media uproar, the Prime Minister Najib Razak "unbanned" the video and it went on to become ond of the most watched videos in the Malaysia for 2011. Teo was also listed by CNN as amongst the 135 Asians to watch.

In 2009, Teo released 15Malaysia – an anthology of 15 short films themed on social political issues in Malaysia. The project became a watershed in Malaysian popular and political culture, not only by featuring politicians as cast, but also recording more than 15 million visitors on its project website in 60 days. The feature-length version of the films has since been exhibited worldwide including at the Pompidou Paris, Golden Horse Awards, Busan International Film Festival, Rotterdam International FIlm Festival and more. In the same year, his compositions for the soundtrack of Yasmin Ahmad's film Talentime became popular in Malaysia – with the song Pergi (performed by Aizat Amdan) winning the "Song of the Year" Award at the Anugerah Juara Lagu.

In April 2008, Teo independently produced a zero-budget, non-partisan, non-profit, multi-artists recording of his anti-racism composition 'Here in My Home'. Entitled 'Malaysian Artistes For Unity (MAFU), the project attracted pro bono participation from over 50 Malaysian artists, media personalities and arts activists – including Ning Baizura, Awie, Afdlin Shauki, Jason Lo, Maya Karin, Tony Fernandes, Jaclyn Victor, etc. and many others personalities and volunteers. The music video for the song, directed by Yasmin Ahmad and Ho Yuhang premiered at the Malaysian Music Industry Awards 2008 to a nationwide television audience. In the weeks subsequent to its release, the video became one of the most viralled videos in the world – reaching as high as no. 3. Both the song and the video are available for free download on the project's official website.

Pete Teo (Chinese: 张子夫 ; pinyin: Zhāng Zifu , born 26 December 1972), is a multiple award winning Malaysian singer songwriter, film composer and filmmaker as well as a sought-after actor in what has become known as 'New Wave Malaysian Cinema'. His work is associated with non-partisan reform politics in Malaysia – in particular, using new media resources to promote wider democratic participation, press freedom, and racial unity. Teo's work has been featured on the BBC, CNN, KBS, NHK, as well as numerous international film festivals and arts events. He has made some of the most watched viral videos in Malaysia.