The Road to Ilo Ilo

Beyond the glamour at Cannes, the cast of Ilo Ilo recall their personal experiences on and off the set as being far from a bed of roses.

By Goh Chiew Tong | Additional reporting by Liu Tingting, Chinese Editor

Photo: Matt Ho | Movie stills courtesy of Golden Village Pictures

Ilo Ilo received a 15-minute standing ovation despite the many hiccups throughout the screening at Cannes

Most mothers entering labour would inform their husbands first, but Ilo Ilo actress Yeo Yann Yann went to her film director Anthony Chen instead.

Yeo plays a pregnant woman in the local film, and when Chen requested to use actual footage of her delivery for Ilo Ilo, she agreed — all for the authenticity and development of her character.

“Her husband wasn’t even in the delivery room due to the restrictions in Malaysia’s hospitals,” Chen said. Yeo gave birth in Johor Bahru.

Chen even watched 20 childbirth videos beforehand to get a hang of what he claimed to be “gore”.

The commitment of the 29-year-old director and his team paid off after Ilo Ilo received the coveted Camera d’Or award at the Cannes Film Festival in May, making it the first Singaporean feature film to win at the prestigious event.

Ilo Ilo traces the relationship between a Singaporean boy and his family’s domestic helper from Iloilo, a province in the Philippines, during the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

At the movie’s press conference on 23 Aug, Chen and the cast members revealed the challenges they faced on and off the set.

Playing the boy’s mother is Yeo, who admitted that she “didn’t quite like Chen at first” and thought he was “quite antisocial”.

But Chen attributed his seemingly cold demeanour to his work ethic.

“When I am working on a film, I’ll be in my own world,” he explained.

The two are now good friends after the many hours they spent on set, Chen said.

“I’ve seen her inside out,” Chen added cheekily.

Another cast member is Chen Tian Wen, who plays the boy’s father. The Singaporean television veteran found his rich acting experience to be ironically his own stumbling block.

The actor’s 25 years in the industry led to him developing bad habits such as changing his lines on the set — something that director Chen found hard to work with as he was particular about the cast’s precision with the nuanced script.

Director Anthony Chen thought veteran actor Chen Tian Wen (left) had the “fatherly quality” he was looking for — though the actor is single and childless in real life.

The feature film has moved the hearts of audiences miles away, receiving a 15-minute standing ovation at the film festival.

But its international success has come at a cost for Chen — in the form of hectic promotional schedules.

“I don’t even own my life now. I don’t run my life; my life runs me,” he said.

The newfound fame has also brought unexpected repercussions for first-time actor Koh Jia Ler, who admitted that he is now the subject of his peers’ envy.

“My friends from primary school won’t talk to me,” said the 15-year old from Clementi Town Secondary School, who plays the family’s only son in the film.

The journey to Ilo Ilo was nonetheless an enriching experience for the cast.

Angeli Bayani, 35, who plays the domestic helper Auntie Terry, appreciated Chen’s professionalism and thoroughness.

“He made us go through the scenes over and over again, until we got it right. This quality control and sincerity in trying to tell a good story is something I miss having in the Philippines,” she said.

After working on the film for three years, Chen’s only request for the Singaporean audience is to keep an open mind about the film.

“Watch Ilo Ilo without premeditated expectations… Surely, it will resonate with a piece of your heart.”

Ilo Ilo opens in cinemas on 29 Aug.