WAShhh
Malaysia, Ireland / Fiction / 23’ / DCP 2K / Black and White / 2024
Set in Malaysia National Service Camp, a Chinese female trainee is commanded by the teacher to lead her multiracial female comrades to wash the stained sanitary pads in the middle of the night.
Director: Mickey Lai
Script: Mickey Lai
Director of Photography: Lee Kah Giap
Producer: Lim Shu Jia
Music: Ryota Katayama
Editing: Wong Kai Yun
Sound: Ines Adriana
Cast: Li Xuan Siow, Esha Anum, Kaana Selvam, Farah Ahamd
Biography
Born in Malaysia, Mickey Lai is an emerging filmmaker who graduated with Master of Film and TV Production at Met Film School, London, UK. She is interested in developing stories about diverse cultural values, mortality and self-identity.
Her thesis short film, The Cloud Is Still There, has travelled to Clermont-Ferrand, Busan, Shanghai, etc. Besides, the film has also won the “Best Performance Award” at SeaShorts Film Festival 2020 in Malaysia and the “New Talent Award” at National Film Festival for Talented Youth 2020 in Seattle, U.S. Her documentary short, A Worm, Whatever Will Be, Will Be, won “The Jury Award” in SeaShorts Film Festival 2022 and was also selected in Taipei Golden Horse, SGIFF, Toronto Reel Asian, Jogja-NETPAC and Bangkok ASEAN Film Festival. Her latest short film WAShhh premieres at the 77th Locarno Film Festival’s Pardi di Domani, International Competition section.
Filmography
The Cloud Is Still There (2020)
A Worm, Whatever Will Be, Will Be (2022)
Washhh (2024)
Festivals Attended
Locarno International Film Festival 2024– World Premiere
Pingyao Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon International Film Festival 2024
Frontdoc International Documentary Festival 2024
Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival 2024
Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 2024
Leeds International Film Festival 2024
Stockholm International Film Festival 2024
QCinema International Film Festival 2024
Alternativa Film Awards 2024
Golden Rooster Festival 2024
Pune International Film Festival 2024
Zagreb Film Festival 2024
NOWNESS Short Film Award 2024
Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival 2024
Singapore International Film Festival 2024
Red Sea International Film Festival 2024
Vilnius Short Film Festival 2025
Santa Barbara Film Festival 2025
BUFF International Film Festival 2025
KINO Athens International Independent Film Festival 2025
Osaka Asian Film Festival 2025
Awards
Locarno International Film Festival 2024– World Premiere – Golden Leopard for Best International Short Film
Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 2024 – Best Short Film
QCinema International Film Festival 2024 – International Jury Prize
Alternativa Film Awards 2024 – SHORTS Award
Golden Rooster Festival 2024 – Best Top Ten Short Films