Friday, 15 May 2015: Ilo Ilo

Friday, 15 May 2015, 20:00

Venue: (see Locations and Tickets for further details)

Programme category: Forest Row Film Society

“We were touched by the four characters, and the story of a family in Singapore. The director’s intelligence and sensibility bring forth very important issues: childhood, immigration, class struggles, the economic crisis.” French film-maker and Camera d’or jury president Agnes Varda.

Ilo Ilo won the 2013 Camera d’or in Cannes. Set in Singapore during the 1997 Asian financial crisis, it chronicles the life of the Lim family: brat from hell Jiale and his over-stressed parents. They hire Teresa, a Filipina from Iloilo, as an amah. At first she struggles to cope with Jiale. The two eventually form a deep bond, but just as “auntie Terry” becomes part of the family, unforeseen events challenge the new stability.

“The film sidesteps mawkishness at every turn to deliver a small gem about how families learn to persevere during the toughest of times.” Screen Daily

Further reading

1. The Guardian
2. The Observer
3. The New York Times
4. Variety
5. Eye for Film

Trailer