PUBLISHED ONSeptember 11, 2026 12:20 PMBYSean LerLocal film-maker Anthony Chen's We Are All Strangers has been selected as Singapore's official entry in the Best International Feature Film category at next year's Oscars.
The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) said on Friday (Sept 11) that the film was picked after careful deliberation by a selection committee, made up of eligible members from the Singapore Film Commission Advisory Committee.
Yvonne Tang, assistant chief executive at IMDA's media industry group, said Chen has a remarkable ability to tell stories that are deeply rooted in Singapore while resonating with audiences around the world.
"We’re excited to celebrate this latest milestone with Anthony, whose talent, dedication, and belief have driven the trilogy over the past 10 years. We also hope Singaporeans watch and support this film."
We Are Strangers completes the 42-year-old film-maker's Growing Up trilogy, which began with Ilo Ilo in 2013 and continued with Wet Season in 2019.
The first two films in the trilogy have collectively received over 50 international awards.
They were also Singapore's official Oscar entries for the International Film category in previous editions.
Chen, the film's director and writer, described the submission as a "real honour".
He said that seeing all three films in the trilogy selected to represent Singapore marks a special milestone for its cast and crew who have worked tirelessly over the years to bring them to life.
"These stories belong to Singapore, and presenting this final chapter of the trilogy on the global stage is a privilege for me as a filmmaker.”
The film is about family relationships and unexpected life changes set in contemporary Singapore.
It stars Yeo Yann Yann and Koh Jia Ler in the lead roles, with Andi Lim and Regene Lim rounding up the cast.
We Are All Strangers broke new ground earlier this year as the first Singaporean film selected for Berlin International Film Festival's main competition in the festival's 76-year history, competing against 21 other international films to vie for the Golden Bear.
The film, supported by IMDA, was produced by Chen's production company Giraffe Pictures.
It opened in Singapore cinemas in August and is being progressively released in multiple territories across the globe.
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