“We Are All Strangers”, interview with director Anthony Chen

“We Are All Strangers”, presented in competition at the 76th Berlinale marks the final chapter of Anthony Chen’s ‘Growing Up’ trilogy following “Ilo Ilo” and “Wet Season”.

Set again contemporary Singapore, the film offers a poignant exploration of class, inequality and the fragile dynamics between inherited and chosen family. “We Are All Strangers” is the first Singaporean film to be selected for the Berlinale Competition.

The Significance of “We Are All Strangers” in Anthony Chen’s Trilogy

“We Are All Strangers” marks a pivotal point in Anthony Chen’s filmmaking journey, closing a trilogy that explores the complexities of human relationships and identity. The film embodies the director’s personal growth, reflecting his evolution from his 20s to his 40s, and encapsulates themes of connection, loss, and understanding. Chen emphasizes that this project was developed during the pandemic, highlighting a time for reflection and introspection. The film’s focus on authentic human interactions makes it a profound exploration of how we perceive ourselves and others.

Personal Journeys and the Creative Process

Anthony Chen’s connection to “We Are All Strangers” is deeply personal, paralleling his own life experiences during key moments of self-discovery. He discusses making the film in his 40s, as a husband and father, and how these roles influence his storytelling.

Chen reflects on his earlier works, “Ilo Ilo” and “Wet Season”, noting that these films also drew heavily from his personal emotions and life stages. The director’s process involves casting actors he has worked with over many years, emphasizing the importance of trust and familiarity in creating truthful performances.

“Through these films, we’ve grown together” says Anthony Chen about his protagonist Koh Jia Ler. “Our 11-year old young boy has grown up, and I have grown older. And in many ways, his transformation mirrors the heart of these stories: how we become strangers to who we were, and how we find our way back again”.

For Anthony Chen, cinema is a means of searching for meaning, but often it’s life that finds him—pushing him to craft stories that echo his internal journey. The emotional weight of We Are All Strangers stems from this authenticity, revealing the raw feelings of love, loss, and hope.

Anthony Chen admits that making such personal films is both painful and cathartic, but ultimately rewarding, as it allows him to bare his soul on screen. His work demonstrates that in exploring personal truths, he connects with audiences on a deeply relatable level, reinforcing that we are all strangers, yet inherently connected through shared human experiences.

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