Anthony Chen

Born in 1984 in Singapore, Anthony Chen enrolled in Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s School of Film and Media Studies at the early age of 17 to pursue his passion for filmmaking. He graduated from film school with his graduation film, G-23 which screened at multiple festivals worldwide and won awards in Europe and Asia. His second short film, Ah Ma (Grandma), was nominated for the Palme d’Or for Short Film at the 60th Cannes Film Festival, and was awarded a Special Mention, the first time a Singapore film was awarded in Cannes. Haze (2008), his next short, screened in competition at the 58th Berlin International Film Festival.
Collectively, his shorts have screened at numerous prestigious film festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Rotterdam, Pusan, London, Sao Paulo, Stockholm, Sydney, Montreal, Melbourne, Chicago, Hawaii, etc. Anthony is an alumnus of the Berlinale Talent Campus and Golden Horse Film Academy.
In 2009, he was accorded the Young Artist Award by the National Arts Council of Singapore. In 2010, he completed his Masters in Film Directing at the National Film and Television School, UK with a scholarship from the Media Development Authority of Singapore. Anthony now works between London and Singapore. ILO ILO marks his feature film debut after 8 short films.
Filmography
FILMOGRAFIE
2013 Ilo, Ilo (Spielfilm)
2012 Karung Guni (Kurzfilm)
2011 The Reunion Dinner (Kurzfilm)
2010 Lighthouse (Kurzfilm)
2010 Distance (Kurzfilm)
2009 Hotel 66 (Kurzfilm)
2008 Haze (Kurzfilm)
2007 Ah Ma (Grandma) (Kurzfilm)
2004 G-23 (Kurzfilm)
The Breaking Ice (2023)
In cold wintry Yanji, a city on China’s northern border, young urbanite Haofeng, visiting from Shanghai, feels lost and adrift. By chance, he goes on a tour led by Nana, a charming tour guide who instantly fascinates him. She introduces him to Xiao, a personable but frustrated restaurant worker. The three bond quickly over a drunken weekend. Confronting their individual traumas, their frozen desires slowly thaw as they seek to liberate themselves from an icy world. More
Ilo ilo (2013)
Set in Singapore, Ilo ilo chronicles the relationship between the Lim family and their newly arrived maid, Teresa. Like many other Filipino women, she has come to this city in search of a better life. Her presence in the family worsens their already strained relationship. Jiale, the young and troublesome son, starts to form a unique bond with Teresa, who soon becomes an unspoken part of the family. This is 1997 and the Asian Financial Crisis is beginning to be felt in the region. More