Betsy Tsai writes, directs, and produces works in fiction and nonfiction, with an eye for transnational stories often about belonging, remembrance, and recovery. She grew up in Silicon Valley and spent some formative years in Brussels, Belgium.

She is a directing alumna from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, & Television. At UCLA she minored in English Literature and also studied conflict resolution in Israel-Palestine & Northern Ireland.

After graduating, she spent five years at Sundance Institute where she served as a manager for a global fund for documentary film. She traveled to forums and festivals globally, including to China, India, and the United Kingdom to work with filmmakers worldwide.

She is currently a co-producer with Walking Iris Media. Her co-producing credits include THE DATING GAME (Sundance 2025), HIDDEN LETTERS (Oscars Shortlist 2023), the 2024 Oscar-nominated short film ISLAND IN BETWEEN, and Emmy nominee OUR TIME MACHINE.

Betsy directed the short film ÉMIGRÉS (Doc Edge 2022), which will air on PBS, and produced CONFUCIAN DREAM (Special Jury Prize, Karlovy Vary Intl. Film Festival 2019).

Betsy is developing her feature directing debut, a film inspired by the life and work of her former colleague Lyra McKee in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The film, in development, has garnered support from Sundance Institute and SFFilm.