Raindrops on A Roof (Zhou Jiali) China |

Raindrops on A Roof
Zhou Jiali
China. 2025. 106 min

Single mother Shi’ning visits a ‘spiritual salon’ out of curiosity and joins a group activity that promises to erase the past. At first glance, only Shi’ning seems to be obsessively attached to the loss and trauma she, her three siblings, and her mother experienced. But in reality, everyday life is often harsh for her mother and younger brother Shi’an as well. Ordinary images, such as an orange sock hanging on the clothesline, a wardrobe where a child hides, a stripped mannequin, or an old sweater trigger painful reminders of both personal and historical trauma for this family. Zhou Jiali’s feature debut Raindrops on a Roof suggests that what matters is not cutting out memories like burning photographs but bringing pain into the open and facing one another—much like the family working together to restore their mother’s cheap, shrunken sweater.

ZHOU JIALI

Zhou Jiali holds a PhD in film studies. She is a Professor at China Academy of Art, director, writer, academic director of IDF (West Lake International Documentary Festival) and a published author in film theory. Her published monographs include “The Dual Dimensions of Becoming – On a Deleuzian Philosophy of Imagery”,”Firefly Light – Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Films and Poetry”.
Her film credits include THE DRIFTING-AWAY SURROUNDINGS (director), BEYOND THE SKIES (screenwriter), VANISHING DAYS (executive producer) and RAINDROPS ON A ROOF (director & screenwriter) ,Her films have been selected at Berlinale FF, Busan FF, Beijing FF, winning over ten international prizes.

FILMOGRAPHY

VANISHING DAYS,2018 (Executive producer)
Berlin International Film Festival– Forum
Pusan International Film Festival – New Currents
Hong Kong International Film Festival– Screening

THE DRIFTING-AWAY SURROUNDINGS,2021 (director)
West Lake International Documentary Festival- Main competition
(nominated)

BEYOND THE SKIES ,2021(screenwriter)
Beijing International Film Festiva–
Best Film, Best actor, Best Cinematography
Shanghai International Film Festival – Screening