Singapore selects Anthony Chen film We Are All Strangers for 2027 Oscars race
Singapore has selected Anthony Chen's We Are All Strangers as its official contender for the international feature race at the Academy Awards.
Singapore has officially selected Anthony Chen鈥檚 "We Are All Strangers" as its contender for the international feature race at the 99th Academy Awards, according to the Infocomm Media Development Authority. The announcement marks a major milestone for the filmmaker as his trilogy reaches the global stage. Written and directed by Anthony Chen, the pick was decided by a selection committee drawn from eligible members of the Singapore Film Commission Advisory Committee.
Set in contemporary Singapore, the film focuses on family relationships and unexpected life changes. It stars Yeo Yann Yann and Koh Jia Ler alongside Andi Lim and Regene Lim. Paradise City Sales handles world sales, while Film Movement holds North American distribution rights. Earlier this year, the film became the first Singaporean film selected for the main competition at the Berlin Film Festival in the festival's 76-year history, competing against 21 other international films for the Golden Bear. It also marks its North American debut at the Toronto Film Festival.
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"We Are All Strangers" completes Chen鈥檚 Growing Up trilogy, which began with "Ilo Ilo" in 2013 and continued with "Wet Season" in 2019. The two earlier films have collectively won more than 50 international accolades, including 12 Golden Horse nominations and five Golden Horse Awards, along with "Ilo Ilo"'s Cam茅ra d'Or win at Cannes. Both films previously served as Singaporean Oscar entries at the 86th and 93rd Academy Awards respectively. Produced by Chen's Giraffe Pictures and supported by the Infocomm Media Development Authority, the film opened in Singapore cinemas in August and is rolling out progressively across international markets.
Yvonne Tang, assistant chief executive at the Media Industry Group, praised the project, stating that after careful deliberation by the selection committee, the director possesses a remarkable ability to tell stories deeply rooted in the nation while resonating worldwide. Chen reflected on the decade-long journey required to complete the trilogy, noting that it meant a great deal to have the film picked to close out a project he has poured a decade into, and that presenting this final chapter on the global stage is a privilege.
Other festival figures have also gained recognition during the same period. Tyler Hagan of Experimental Forest Films secured the Canadian Media Producers Association's 2026 Feature Film Producer Indiescreen Award on September 10 at the Sutton Place Hotel on the opening evening of the 51st Toronto Film Festival. The honor recognizes a producer's career accomplishments in independent production and includes a C$20,000 cash prize presented in partnership with Telefilm Canada. Additional Indiescreen honors were awarded to Anthony Cauchy of Locomotive Media, who won the 2026 Kevin Tierney Emerging Producer Indiescreen Award with a C$10,000 prize, and Quebec-based KOTV, headed by Louis Morissette, which took the 2026 TV Producer Indiescreen Award alongside a $20,000 prize presented in partnership with the Canada Media Fund.
As awards season progresses, attention will shift toward preliminary voting schedules. Preliminary voting for the Oscar shortlist runs from December 7 to December 11, with the shortlist announcement scheduled for Tuesday, December 15. Following the close of the eligibility period on December 31, 2026, nominations voting will take place from January 11 to January 15, 2027, leading up to the official nominations announcement on Thursday, January 21, 2027. The 99th Oscars will take place on Sunday, March 14, 2027, and will be hosted by Conan O鈥橞rien from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.
