Anthony Chen’s Berlinale Competition film “We Are All Strangers” has been acquired by Film Movement for the U.S. and Canada.
Film Movement is planning a theatrical release for the film, which made history as the first Singaporean movie to compete in Berlin’s competition. It will next play on opening night of the 50th Hong Kong Film Festival on April 1.
“With ‘We Are All Strangers,’ Anthony Chen has crafted a timely family saga that captures the social and economic structures that define contemporary life, filtering them through the grounded and human motivations of its vividly etched characters,” said Michael Rosenberg, Film Movement’s president, who negotiated the deal with Paradise City’s head of sales Alexandre Moreau. “We’re thrilled for North American audiences to discover and connect with Chen’s globally resonant, moving vision,” he continued.
The U.S. distribution company previously handed Chen’s debut “Ilo Ilo” which won the Caméra d’Or at Cannes.
“We Are All Strangers” rounds out what Chen has called his “Growing Up” trilogy, a body of work that started with “Ilo Ilo” and continued with “Wet Season.”
Set in contemporary Singapore, the new film again features Yeo Yann Yann and Koh Jia Ler, who have appeared throughout the trilogy and explores the evolving bonds between generations.
Chen’s 2023 movie, “Drift,” opened at the Sundance Film Festival and was also sold by Paradise City Sales.
Along with the North American deal, Paradise City Sales has also recently sold “We Are All Strangers” to Germany and Austria (Rapid Eye), Eastern Europe (HBO CEE), Airlines (Encore) and Turkey (Filmarti).
The movie previously sold to ARP Selection (France), Curzon (U.K. and Ireland), Elastica Films (Spain), Trigon Film (Switzerland), A-One Films (Baltics), Ama Films (Greece), Golden Scene (Hong Kong), Movicloud (Taiwan), Challan (South Korea), PT Falcon (Indonesia) and Moving Turtle (Middle East and North Africa)
“We Are All Strangers” was written and directed by Chen and produced by Teoh Yi Peng, Huang Wenhong and Anthony Chen for Giraffe Pictures. With Joe Tsai, Arthur Wang, KH Kuok serving as executive producers, and Julia Song as co-executive producer. Financing comes from 127 Wall Productions, Jasper Productions and the Singapore Film Commission with support from the Red Sea Fund and the MPA APSA Academy Film Fund.
Film Movement’s recent slate includes Chie Hayakawa’s “Renoir,” Dominik Moll’s “Case 137” and Neo Sora’s “Happyend,” among others.
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