The Cloud Is Still There

The Cloud Is Still There

Mickey Lai • 2020

Duration: 00:18:44
Language: Mandarin, Hakka
Subtitles: English, Traditional Chinese
Country/Region: Malaysia

When her grandfather becomes terminally ill, Xiao Le, a young Christian woman, faces a critical decision over whether she should intervene with her family’s traditional Taoist rituals.

AWARDS & FESTIVALS

Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival

France

2021

Shanghai International Film Festival

China

2021

Golden Harvest Award

Taiwan

2021

Best Director Award

Aswan International Woman Film Festival

Egypt

2021

Busan International Film Festival

Korea

2020

Best Performance Award

SeaShorts Film Festival

Malaysia

2020

New Talent Award

National Film Festival for Talented Youth

Unites States

2020

Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival

Indonesia

2020

DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT

Mickey Lai

Mickey Lai

Director

“Every death leaves behind a precious gift.”The Cloud Is Still There, drawn from my own teenage years as the only Christian in a traditional Taoist family. My grandfather, a Taoist priest, played a huge role in shaping my childhood. When he passed away, I found myself caught between two worlds—filial piety and faith—at a time when everything felt fragile and uncertain. Grief is often said to be indescribable, but through this film, I wanted to explore it in a way that feels raw and honest. At its heart, this is a story about a mother and daughter, about the clash of religions within a family, and about the quiet, unspoken ways love persists, even in conflict. The arguments, the silences, the longing—all of it is deeply personal to me. When writing this story, I kept coming back to one question: How do love and faith coexist in the face of loss? Xiao Le and her mother mourn in different ways, each holding onto their own beliefs, yet neither can say which is more “right.” And maybe that’s the point. In the end, beyond the disagreements and the generational gaps, what remains is love—sometimes unspoken, sometimes misunderstood, but always there. With The Cloud Is Still There, I hope to share a piece of my own journey and, in doing so, resonate with anyone who has ever wrestled with grief, faith, or family. More than anything, I hope this film helps people see the quiet, precious gifts left behind by those we love.

TRAILER

The Cloud Is Still There - TRAILER

FILM STILLS