Synopsis

A solitary old man and a heartbroken young traveler spend one quiet night together in a secluded cabin on the Italian Alps. Following a silent meal and a vulnerable request, the two strangers recognise themselves in one another.


Director: Mickey Lai

Mickey Lai is a Malaysian filmmaker and a graduate of Met Film School, London. Her work explores themes of cultural identity, mortality, and selfhood through a quiet, emotionally resonant lens. In addition to writing and directing her own films, she also works across roles such as assistant director, script supervisor, editor, and still photographer on various projects. She has collaborated with notable Malaysian directors including Tan Chui Mui, Woo Ming Jin, and Tan Seng Kiat, contributing to feature film, shorts, TV series, and documentaries. Mickey Lai is also a regular editor with Freedom Film Network, a non-profit focused on producing social justice documentaries. Her latest short WAShhh (2024) won Best International Short Film at Locarno. Her earlier short documentary A Worm, Whatever Will Be, Will Be (2022) won the Jury Award at SeaShorts and was selected at Golden Horse, Singapore, and Toronto Reel Asian. Her debut short The Cloud Is Still There (2020) premiered at Busan and was selected for Clermont-Ferrand. She is an alumna of the Golden Horse Film Academy and Locarno Spring Academy.

Producer: Sam Weishi Chua

Sam Weishi Chua is a film producer born and based in Singapore. She started making films at New York University Tisch School of the Arts in 2017 while on an exchange programme, and continued to produce music videos, commercials and short films after returning home. In 2019, Sam graduated from the National University of Singapore with an honours degree in mass communication and started working at Potocol as an assistant producer, working on films like Ma - Cry of Silence by The Maw Naing (New Currents Award - 2024 Busan IFF) and Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell by Pham Thien An (Camera d’Or - 2023 Cannes Quinzaines des Cinéaste). She then produced feature film Pierce by Nelicia Low (Best Director Crystal Globe - 2024 Karlovy Vary IFF), short films Children’s Day by Giselle Lin (2025 Berlinale Competition) and I look into the mirror and repeat to myself by Giselle Lin (2023 Locarno Competition). She now focuses on working with young directors from Southeast Asia to develop and produce stories that provoke and entertain. Sam Weishi Chua is an alumnus of EAVE’s Ties That Bind 2024, Rotterdam Lab 2023, IF/Then Southeast Asia 2020, Full Circle Lab Philippines and Busan Asian Film School.