Anthony Chen’s “We Are All Strangers” Secures North American Distribution with Film Movement
According to the CinemaDrama News Agency, Anthony Chen’s film We Are All Strangers has been acquired by Film Movement for distribution in North America.
The company plans to release the film theatrically in the United States and Canada. The film has already made history as the first Singaporean feature to be selected for the competitive section of the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale). It is also set to open the 50th Hong Kong Film Festival on April 1.
Michael Rosenberg, president of Film Movement, who finalized the deal with Alexandre Moreau, head of sales at Paradise City, said:
“With We Are All Strangers, Anthony Chen has crafted a contemporary family drama that reflects the social and economic structures shaping modern life, filtered through the human motivations of meticulously drawn characters. We are thrilled for North American audiences to discover and connect with Chen’s impactful and universal vision.”
We Are All Strangers completes a trilogy Chen refers to as Growing Up, which began with Ilo Ilo and continued with Wet Season.
Set in contemporary Singapore, the film reunites actors Yeo Yann Yann and Koh Jia Ler, who appeared in previous installments, and explores evolving intergenerational relationships.
Chen’s 2023 film Drift previously screened at the Sundance Film Festival and was also sold by Paradise City Sales.
In addition to the North American deal, Paradise City Sales recently secured distribution rights for We Are All Strangers in multiple territories, including Germany and Austria (Rapid Eye), Eastern Europe (HBO CEE), airlines (Encore), and Turkey (Filmarti).
The film has previously been sold to other companies, including ARP Selection in France, Curzon in the UK and Ireland, Elastica Films in Spain, Trigon Film in Switzerland, A-One Films in the Baltics, Ama Films in Greece, Golden Scene in Hong Kong, Movicloud in Taiwan, Challan in South Korea, PT Falcon in Indonesia, and Moving Turtle in the Middle East and North Africa.
We Are All Strangers is written and directed by Anthony Chen and produced by Teoh Yi Peng, Huang Wenhong, and Anthony Chen for Giraffe Pictures. Executive producers include Joe Tsai, Arthur Wang, and KH Kuok, with Julia Song serving as co-executive producer. The film is financed by 127 Wall Productions, Jasper Productions, and the Singapore Film Commission, with support from the Red Sea Fund and the MPA APSA Film Fund.
Recent releases from Film Movement also include Renoir by Chie Hayakawa, Case 137 directed by Dominik Moll, and Happyend by Neo Sora.
