Latest news with #IloIlo
New Paper
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Paper
Director Anthony Chen wrapping up the final film in his Singaporean trilogy
Local director Anthony Chen has almost completed the shoot for his latest movie We Are All Strangers, which began in Singapore at the end of March 2025. "We are in the last week of the film shoot and it's the longest I have embarked on," the 41-year-old tells The Straits Times. "It is set in contemporary Singapore as we have shot it entirely here." Chen's most recent movies, Drift (2023) and The Breaking Ice (2023), were shot in Greece and China respectively. We Are All Strangers is the third chapter of his Growing Up trilogy of dramas. The first, Ilo Ilo (2013), starred Yeo Yann Yann and Koh Jia Ler in a story about a boy (Koh) and his relationship with his mother (Yeo) and the family's domestic helper (played by Filipino actress Angeli Bayani). It won the Camera d'Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, the first win by a Singapore feature film there. The second film in the trilogy is Wet Season (2019), also starring Yeo and Koh, as teacher and student respectively, coping with difficulties in their family relationships. It earned six nominations at the 2019 Golden Horse Awards, with Yeo winning Best Leading Actress. We Are All Strangers also stars Yeo and Koh, but Chen declines to reveal more about their characters or the film's plot. "I won't comment on the story now and will let audiences discover it in due time. This third film in the trilogy has been brewing in my head for several years. Each of these films is deeply personal to me. 2025 is when we will finally put this third film into production. It will be exactly 12 years since Ilo Ilo, and we will have come full circle," he says. He expects the film to be released in 2026. Chen, who lives in Hong Kong with his wife and seven-year-old son, says that making We Are All Strangers has been a tough and challenging ride. "I'm grateful to my entire team who believed and pushed on. It really takes a village to make a film. And it also takes a lot of goodwill and kindness that we received along the way to make the impossible possible. We were helped by strangers from all walks of life."
Straits Times
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Anthony Chen nears completion on shoot of We Are All Stranger, the third film in his Singapore trilogy
Director Anthony Chen (left) and actor Koh Jia Ler on the set of We Are All Strangers, the third chapter of Chen's Growing Up trilogy of dramas. PHOTO: GIRAFFE PICTURES SINGAPORE – Local director Anthony Chen has almost completed filming his latest movie We Are All Strangers, which began in Singapore at the end of March 2025 . 'We are in the last week of the film shoot and it's the longest I have embarked on,' the 41-year-old tells The Straits Times. 'It is set in contemporary Singapore as we have shot it entirely here.' Chen's most recent movies, Drift (2023) and The Breaking Ice (2023), were shot in Greece and China respectively. We Are All Strangers is the third chapter of his Growing Up trilogy of dramas. The first, Ilo Ilo (2013), starred Yeo Yann Yann and Koh Jia Ler in a story about a boy (Koh) and his relationship with his mother (Yeo) and the family's domestic helper (played by Filipino actress Angeli Bayani). It won the Camera d'Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, the first win by a Singapore feature film there . The second film in the trilogy is Wet Season (2019), also starring Yeo and Koh, as teacher and student respectively, coping with difficulties in their family relationships. It earned six nominations at the 2019 Golden Horse Awards, with Yeo winning Best Leading Actress. We Are All Strangers also stars Yeo and Koh, but Chen declines to reveal more about their characters or the film's plot. 'I won't comment on the story now and will let audiences discover it in due time. This third film in the trilogy has been brewing in my head for several years. Each of these films is deeply personal to me. 2025 is when we will finally put this third film into production. It will be exactly 12 years since Ilo Ilo, and we will have come full circle,' he says. He expects the film to be released in 2026. Chen, who lives in Hong Kong with his wife and seven-year-old son, says that making We Are All Strangers has been a 'tough and challenging ride' . 'I'm grateful to my entire team who believed and pushed on. It really takes a village to make a film. And it also takes a lot of goodwill and kindness that we received along the way to make the impossible possible. We were helped by strangers, from all walks of life.' Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cannes Caméra d'Or Winner Anthony Chen Begins Production on ‘We Are All Strangers,' Completing His ‘Growing Up' Trilogy (EXCLUSIVE)
Exactly 12 years after winning the Caméra d'Or at Cannes with his debut feature 'Ilo Ilo,' Singaporean filmmaker Anthony Chen has begun production on 'We Are All Strangers,' the third and final film in his acclaimed 'Growing Up' trilogy. The project reunites Chen with actors Yeo Yann Yann and Koh Jia Ler, who starred in both previous installments of the trilogy, 2013's 'Ilo Ilo' and 2019's 'Wet Season.' Set in contemporary Singapore and spanning two and a half years, the film is Chen's most ambitious work yet – an epic story capturing intimate moments of love, life, and coming of age in the city-state. More from Variety Twin Directors Tarzan and Arab Nasser on Spaghetti Western 'Once Upon a Time in Gaza': 'With What Is Happening, the Title Is Even More Appropriate' Kirill Serebrennikov on Cannes Premiere 'The Disappearance of Josef Mengele,' a Portrait of Fugitive Nazi Doctor Venice Prizewinner Valentyn Vasyanovych, Rising Talent Antonio Lukich Headline Cannes Slate From Ukraine's ForeFilms (EXCLUSIVE) 'I filmed Jia Ler at 11 and then again at 17, so it felt like a natural step to capture him approaching adulthood,' Chen said of his continuing collaboration with the young actor. The director explained his thematic focus: 'I have always been fascinated by the bonds and intimate connections struck between strangers and how kinship can develop beyond blood ties. The idea of constructed families is a theme I have explored in both of my films. In 'Ilo Ilo,' it was between the Filipino maid and the young Singaporean boy she cares for, while in 'Wet Season,' a teacher and her student form a family unit with her half-paralysed father-in-law. This time, strangers are forced to become family.' Yeo, who won Golden Horse Awards for her performances in both previous films (best supporting actress for 'Ilo Ilo' and best actress for 'Wet Season'), recently appeared in the Netflix action film 'Havoc' alongside Tom Hardy and Forest Whitaker. Koh has earned two Golden Horse nominations for his work in Chen's earlier films. 'We Are All Strangers' is produced by Chen and Teoh Yi Peng through their Singapore-based production company Giraffe Pictures, with backing from the Singapore Film Commission and the MPA APSA Academy Film Fund. Principal photography is currently underway in Singapore and scheduled to complete by the end of May. Chen has built a varied résumé since his breakthrough. Following 'Ilo Ilo' and 'Wet Season' (both of which represented Singapore as official submissions for the Academy Awards), he made his English-language debut with 'Drift,' starring Cynthia Erivo, which premiered at Sundance in 2023. That same year, his first Chinese-language feature 'The Breaking Ice' premiered in Un Certain Regard at Cannes and became Singapore's Oscar submission. As a producer through his Giraffe Pictures banner, Chen has nurtured other Asian filmmakers' work, including Kirsten Tan's Sundance winner 'Pop Aye' (2017), He Shuming's 'Ajoomma' (2022), Sorayos Prapapan's 'Arnold Is a Model Student' (2022), Neo Sora's 'Happyend' (2024), and Tumpal Tampubolon's 'Crocodile Tears' (2024). Giraffe Pictures, co-founded by Chen and producer Huang Wenhong, positions itself as 'a home for emerging filmmakers in Asia' with the goal of becoming 'an international label for the best of Asian cinema, focusing on cinematic creativity and vision, telling unique Asian stories that will resonate with a global audience.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cannes Caméra d'Or Winner Anthony Chen Begins Production on ‘We Are All Strangers,' Completing His ‘Growing Up' Trilogy (EXCLUSIVE)
Exactly 12 years after winning the Caméra d'Or at Cannes with his debut feature 'Ilo Ilo,' Singaporean filmmaker Anthony Chen has begun production on 'We Are All Strangers,' the third and final film in his acclaimed 'Growing Up' trilogy. The project reunites Chen with actors Yeo Yann Yann and Koh Jia Ler, who starred in both previous installments of the trilogy, 2013's 'Ilo Ilo' and 2019's 'Wet Season.' Set in contemporary Singapore and spanning two and a half years, the film is Chen's most ambitious work yet – an epic story capturing intimate moments of love, life, and coming of age in the city-state. More from Variety Twin Directors Tarzan and Arab Nasser on Spaghetti Western 'Once Upon a Time in Gaza': 'With What Is Happening, the Title Is Even More Appropriate' Kirill Serebrennikov on Cannes Premiere 'The Disappearance of Josef Mengele,' a Portrait of Fugitive Nazi Doctor Venice Prizewinner Valentyn Vasyanovych, Rising Talent Antonio Lukich Headline Cannes Slate From Ukraine's ForeFilms (EXCLUSIVE) 'I filmed Jia Ler at 11 and then again at 17, so it felt like a natural step to capture him approaching adulthood,' Chen said of his continuing collaboration with the young actor. The director explained his thematic focus: 'I have always been fascinated by the bonds and intimate connections struck between strangers and how kinship can develop beyond blood ties. The idea of constructed families is a theme I have explored in both of my films. In 'Ilo Ilo,' it was between the Filipino maid and the young Singaporean boy she cares for, while in 'Wet Season,' a teacher and her student form a family unit with her half-paralysed father-in-law. This time, strangers are forced to become family.' Yeo, who won Golden Horse Awards for her performances in both previous films (best supporting actress for 'Ilo Ilo' and best actress for 'Wet Season'), recently appeared in the Netflix action film 'Havoc' alongside Tom Hardy and Forest Whitaker. Koh has earned two Golden Horse nominations for his work in Chen's earlier films. 'We Are All Strangers' is produced by Chen and Teoh Yi Peng through their Singapore-based production company Giraffe Pictures, with backing from the Singapore Film Commission and the MPA APSA Academy Film Fund. Principal photography is currently underway in Singapore and scheduled to complete by the end of May. Chen has built a varied résumé since his breakthrough. Following 'Ilo Ilo' and 'Wet Season' (both of which represented Singapore as official submissions for the Academy Awards), he made his English-language debut with 'Drift,' starring Cynthia Erivo, which premiered at Sundance in 2023. That same year, his first Chinese-language feature 'The Breaking Ice' premiered in Un Certain Regard at Cannes and became Singapore's Oscar submission. As a producer through his Giraffe Pictures banner, Chen has nurtured other Asian filmmakers' work, including Kirsten Tan's Sundance winner 'Pop Aye' (2017), He Shuming's 'Ajoomma' (2022), Sorayos Prapapan's 'Arnold Is a Model Student' (2022), Neo Sora's 'Happyend' (2024), and Tumpal Tampubolon's 'Crocodile Tears' (2024). Giraffe Pictures, co-founded by Chen and producer Huang Wenhong, positions itself as 'a home for emerging filmmakers in Asia' with the goal of becoming 'an international label for the best of Asian cinema, focusing on cinematic creativity and vision, telling unique Asian stories that will resonate with a global audience.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
