It was only a few weeks after the news of Michelle Yeoh’s Oscar success. Everyone on Twitter was still at loggerheads on the Ipoh-born’s success (yes, we argue about everything there). The video of her lifting the trophy was circulating; for the first few weeks, it was the only thing people spoke about.
That is until Tiger Stripes, an independent movie based in Malaysia won big at Cannes during the Cannes Film Festival this year. If you haven’t heard, Tiger Stripes is a body horror film exploring a girl’s puberty journey. Told in a subtle but spooky manner, Tiger Stripes wowed the crowd at Cannes with its exceptional visual storytelling, gut-wrenching script and top-class performances from the cast.
“Frankly, we didn’t expect to win, at all. We were just happy to be there. But when they announced we won… it’s just surreal.” Amanda Nell said during our casual interview with her our Theaterette after an exclusive screening of the film, making us the first audience in Malaysia to enjoy it.
Producer Foo Fei Ling, who was also present, added that the chances of triumph were unlikely. ‘We thought since Tiger Stripes was the first to be evaluated, the judges would forget about us. But through all the films shown after, they remembered us, and to know they voted unanimously for us? Wow’.
We expected Tiger Stripes to be, well, like a number of popular Cannes-certified film, another arthouse take on social issues, disconnected from the Malaysian reality of things. We were wrong (and we’re glad to be).
The film showcased the kind of bravery and hunger local cinephiles yearn for, and at the same time, uses elements that every Malaysian can relate to and features character tropes that are far too familiar. When you’re able to balance that, you won’t just get something fresh - but also holistically impactful.
Amanda took two years to write the script, which includes studying the behaviour of Malaysian teachers, students and even TikTok shamans. ‘We sifted through hand-written notes, and sat through perhimpunan pagi. We really wanted to get the essence of it right.’
On top of the writing phase, the whole production took five years; from the ideation phase down to the final delivery, and if you watched the movie, Tiger Stripes just oozes passion and belief coming from every picture, quirk, growl and effort coming from every person who worked on it.
Amanda’s vision was clear - and everyone worked towards realising it. The mission wasn’t just to highlight the whole experience of dealing with puberty; it was also to entertain and have fun with what you have around you; and for Amanda’s case, it was the stories and lores of her hometown, Malaysia.
So, does the story behind the film seem a bit incomplete to you? Yeah, that’s the FOMO speaking. Make sure you watch the film when it’s out, and come back to this!