The Heartfelt Connection Between a Son and His Maid in a Nuclear Family

The story is set in Singapore in 1997. Jia Ler, an only child with busy, working parents, is a problem child who constantly troubles those around him at school with his selfish behavior. His mother, at her wit's end with her son, hires a Filipino maid, Teresa, to live with them.

Although Jia Ler initially shows resistance, he gradually opens up to Teresa, who works tirelessly while sending money back home, finding a shared sense of loneliness. However, at this time, his father loses his job due to the economic downturn caused by the Asian financial crisis, and his mother begins to develop complex, almost jealous feelings towards Teresa.

Drawing from the Director's Childhood, Weaving in Universal Themes

The film marks the directorial debut of Anthony Chen. Despite his young age of 30, he demonstrates a level of polish and sophistication beyond that of a newcomer in every aspect, from scriptwriting and direction to cinematography and editing. Ang Lee, who chaired the jury at the Golden Horse Awards, remarked, "His sincere and honest approach to filmmaking is outstanding."

During the Q&A session after the screening at the Tokyo FILMeX last year, when asked about the meaning of the title, Director Chen explained, "For eight years, from ages four to twelve, my family also had a Filipino maid. 'ILO ILO' is the name of her hometown. It's a lovely-sounding name that I remember well." He further revealed that when conceptualizing the film, his image for the child protagonist was inspired by Truffaut's "The 400 Blows."

"Ilo Ilo," based on the director's childhood, depicts a small family while embedding universal themes that transcend culture and borders, touching upon family issues, a boy's growth, questions about capitalist society, and matters of immigration and class. Through the subtly nostalgic everyday life in Singapore, one's own small childhood memories are gently brought to mind.



Ilo Ilo
Opening December 13th (Saturday) at Shinjuku K's Cinema and other theaters nationwide.
Director & Screenplay | Anthony Chen
Starring | Yeo Yann Yann, Chen Tianwen, Angeli Bayani, Koh Jia Ler, and others
Distribution | Nikkatsu / Playtime
2013 / Singapore / 99 min / Original Title: 爸媽不在家 / English Title: ILO ILO
http://iloilo-movie.com/

©2013 SINGAPORE FILM COMMISSION, NP ENTERPRISE (S) PTE LTD, FISHEYEPICTURES PTE LTD