Singapore's Oscar Bid: Anthony Chen's 'We Are All Strangers' Joins International Race
Anthony Chen's film “We Are All Strangers” has been chosen as Singapore's official entry for the 99th Academy Awards. This selection marks the completion of Chen's acclaimed “Growing Up” trilogy and follows the film's historic inclusion in the main competition at the Berlin Film Festival. The movie explores family relationships in contemporary Singapore and is now rolling out internationally.
“We Are All Strangers,” the latest film by acclaimed director Anthony Chen, has been officially selected as Singapore’s entry in the international feature category for the 99th Academy Awards. This significant announcement was made by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), following a rigorous selection process by a committee drawn from the Singapore Film Commission Advisory Committee (SFCAC).
This film holds particular importance as it completes Chen’s highly regarded “Growing Up” trilogy. The series began with the critically acclaimed “Ilo Ilo” in 2013 and continued with “Wet Season” in 2019. Collectively, these previous installments have garnered over 50 international awards, including multiple Golden Horse Awards and “Ilo Ilo’s” prestigious Caméra d’Or win at Cannes. Both “Ilo Ilo” and “Wet Season” also previously represented Singapore as official Oscar entries at the 86th and 93rd Academy Awards, respectively, underscoring Chen’s consistent international recognition.
Set against the backdrop of contemporary Singapore, “We Are All Strangers” explores profound themes of family relationships and the impact of unexpected life changes. The film features Chen’s frequent collaborators, Yeo Yann Yann and Koh Jia Ler, alongside Andi Lim and Regene Lim. Earlier this year, the film achieved another historic milestone by becoming the first Singaporean film ever selected for the main competition at the Berlin Film Festival in the festival’s 76-year history, where it vied for the Golden Bear against 21 other international features.
“We Are All Strangers” was produced by Chen’s Giraffe Pictures with support from IMDA. After opening in Singapore cinemas in August, the film is progressively rolling out across international markets, with Paradise City Sales managing worldwide distribution. Film Movement holds the North American distribution rights, and the film recently made its continental debut at the Toronto Film Festival, further expanding its global reach.
Yvonne Tang, assistant chief executive at IMDA’s Media Industry Group, expressed pride in the selection, stating, “Anthony has a remarkable ability to tell stories that are deeply rooted in Singapore while resonating with audiences around the world.” Chen himself shared the profound significance of this recognition, noting that having the film selected to close out a decade-long project was incredibly meaningful. He emphasized that these stories belong to Singapore, and presenting the final chapter of the trilogy on the global stage is a privilege for him as a filmmaker.