The news comes just weeks after the film became the first Singaporean film to compete for the Golden Bear, the top prize at the Berlin International Film Festival, which ultimately went to the German film Yellow Letters, directed by İlker Catak.
We Are All Strangers follows 21-year-old Junyang, who lives carefreely while his father works tirelessly to support the family. The film explores themes of love, loss, grief and responsibility. It forms the final chapter of Chen’s Growing Up trilogy, following 2013’s Ilo Ilo, which won the Camera d’Or at Cannes, and 2019’s Wet Season, which received several nominations at the Golden Horse Awards, including Best Director.
To mark its Golden Jubilee edition, HKIFF will also present special screenings of Ilo Ilo and Wet Season. Post-screening Q&A sessions with Chen and cast members will also take place, and on Apr 4, the date of We Are All Stranger’s second screening, Chen will take part in a seminar discussing his filmmaking journey and the decade-long development of the Growing Up trilogy.
