Cannes Caméra d’Or Winner Anthony Chen Begins Production on ‘We Are All Strangers,’ Completing His ‘Growing Up’ Trilogy (EXCLUSIVE)

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12 years following his victory of the Caméra d’Or at Cannes for his first feature “Ilo Ilo”, Singaporean director Anthony Chen is now starting the production of “We Are All Strangers“, marking the third and concluding film in his critically-acclaimed “Growing Up” trilogy.

This project brings Chen back together with actors Yeo Yann Yann and Koh Jia Ler, who were also part of the previous movies in the trilogy titled “Ilo Ilo” from 2013 and “Wet Season” in 2019. The film is set in modern-day Singapore and covers a period of approximately two and a half years. This project marks Chen’s most extensive endeavor thus far – an epic tale that delves into intimate moments of love, life, and growing up in the city-state.

Chen stated that since he had recorded Jia Ler at ages 11 and 17, it seemed fitting to document his transition into adulthood as their collaboration continued.

The director shared his central theme: “I’ve always been captivated by the mysterious bonds and deep connections that can form between individuals who initially don’t know each other, and how such relationships can evolve beyond traditional blood ties. I’ve delved into this concept in my previous films, with ‘Ilo Ilo’ exploring the bond between a Singaporean boy and his Filipino maid, and ‘Wet Season’ focusing on a teacher, her student, and her half-paralyzed father-in-law creating a family unit. In this new project, I will be depicting how strangers are compelled to form familial bonds.

Previously winning the Golden Horse Awards for her roles in “Ilo Ilo” (as best supporting actress) and “Wet Season” (as best actress), Yeo has recently been seen in the Netflix action film “Havoc,” alongside Tom Hardy and Forest Whitaker. Notably, Koh has garnered two Golden Horse Award nominations for his performances in Chen’s earlier movies.

The film titled ‘We Are All Strangers’ is being created by Chen and Teoh Yi Peng via their production company, Giraffe Pictures, based in Singapore. This project receives support from both the Singapore Film Commission and the MPA APSA Academy Film Fund. The main filming is happening right now in Singapore and is expected to wrap up by the end of May.

Ever since his initial success, Chen has accumulated a diverse portfolio of work. After the releases of “Ilo Ilo” and “Wet Season,” both of which represented Singapore as nominees for the Oscars, he ventured into English-language projects with “Drift,” featuring Cynthia Erivo. This film premiered at Sundance in 2023. In the same year, his debut Chinese-language feature, “The Breaking Ice,” made its premiere in Un Certain Regard at Cannes and was submitted for Singapore’s consideration as an Oscar nominee.

Through his production company, Giraffe Pictures, Chen has fostered the careers of several Asian filmmakers. Among these are Kirsten Tan for her Sundance-winning film “Pop Aye” (2017), He Shuming with “Ajoomma” (2022), Sorayos Prapapan for “Arnold Is a Model Student” (2022), Neo Sora’s “Happyend” (2024), and Tumpal Tampubolon’s “Crocodile Tears” (2024).

Established by Chen and producer Huang Wenhong, Giraffe Pictures is a nurturing ground for budding filmmakers in Asia, aiming to be recognized as a renowned international brand showcasing the finest Asian cinema. The focus lies on fostering cinematic ingenuity and unique storytelling that will strike a chord with global viewers, presenting Asian narratives on a global stage.

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2025-05-18 09:47