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Anthony Chen has done it again. Thirteen years after Chen’s film Ilo Ilo stunned Cannes and picked up the Caméra d’Or, his film We Are All Strangers has been selected for the Golden Bear – Berlin International Film Festival’s top award. With it being one of just two Asian films among this year’s 22-title lineup, it’s safe to say Singapore has stepped into the spotlight at one of the world’s most prestigious film festivals.
Chen is closing the loop on his Singapore ‘Growing Up’ trilogy. We Are All Strangers follows Ilo Ilo (2013) and Wet Season (2019) and spans three years in modern-day Singapore, tracing a family as they learn to love, grieve, and eventually find their way back together. The first two chapters of the trilogy racked up more than 50 international awards between them, including five Golden Horse wins.
For context: the Berlinale competition is where heavyweights roam. Past winners include Taiwanese filmmaker Ang Lee, known for his top-rated films like Life of Pi and Brokeback Mountain; Hayao Miyazaki, co-founder of the well-loved Studio Ghibli; and American filmmaker Terrence Malick, with popular films like The New World and A Hidden Life.
We Are All Strangers will make its world premiere in Berlin from February 12 to 22, 2026. The full cast, starring Yeo Yann Yann, Koh Jia Ler, Andi Lim, and Regene Lim, will be present in Berlin with Chen for the premiere. Local audiences will have to wait a little longer to catch the movie – it's only slated for release in Singapore and other cities later in 2026.
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