Malaysian film ‘Tiger Stripes’ enjoys triumphant premiere at Cannes Festival

Malaysian cinema's resurgence in the post-pandemic era continues with 37-year-old Amanda Nell Eu.

She made history as Malaysia’s first female director to be selected in competition at the Cannes Critics Week (‘Semaine de la Critique’) section at the prestigious festival, which is underway.

Her debut feature, ‘Tiger Stripes’, world premiered yesterday to packed halls and huge applause.

Reviews and early reactions are already coming in, describing it as “an ambitious drama” and a “striking debut” for Nell Eu.

‘Tiger Stripes’ is one of 11 titles selected from over 1,000 entries vying for the coveted Critics Week Grand Prix award.

Last year’s contender, ‘Aftersun’, directed by Charlotte Wells, was nominated for an Oscar.

The reception ‘Tiger Stripes’ receives could be a critical launchpad as the film progresses through the festival circuit.

‘Tiger Stripes’ centres on 12-year-old Zaffan (Zafreen Zairizal) experiencing puberty and isolation fears as she struggles to understand her body.

Provoked by her community, she soon discovers that embracing her true self is the only answer to her freedom.

Part of the film’s appeal is newcomer Zairizal’s captivating performance as the lead character, which is anchored by her co-stars, Deena Ezral (who plays Farah) and Piqa (Mariam) who form Zaffan’s ‘gang’.

Among the audience members in attendance at the premiere were the cast and crew of ‘Tiger Stripes’ and Amanda’s mother, Anne Eu.

Present were jury members of the Critics Week section, which include French filmmaker Audrey Diwan, Portuguese director of photography Rui Poças and, German actor Franz Rogowski.

Others were Indian journalist Meenakshi Shedde as well as Sundance Film Festival programming director Kim Yutani.

A hit with critics

The film has garnered a string of positive reviews. Critic Elena Lazic elaborates:

“Zaffan never fits into the mould of the good girl, but neither does Farah into that of the perfect student.

“The film’s charming characters never completely match those stereotypes; they spill out of those stifling social roles all the time and are capable of cheerfully leaving them behind.

“The use of body horror allegories in cinema to address the physical, physiological, and mental changes brought on by puberty could hardly be called original.

“However, by delightfully and intelligently remixing symbols and metaphors, Eu refreshes the concept in her zesty debut feature.”

Marc van de Klashorst of the International Cinephile Society writes:

“The film’s message of accepting who and what you are and learning to get through life with that in mind is one that cinema has handled before, but Eu finds an original way to channel it.

“Its portrayal of the position of girls in strict patriarchal communities is subtle and eschews preachiness, keeping its audience in mind and not leaning too heavily into its message.”

These observations are echoed by Fabien Lemercier of Cineuropa, who states that “it all comes together to form an insolent and vibrant first feature film, which is both local and universal, and which says a great deal about the female condition without ever taking itself too seriously”.

Peter Bradshaw from The Guardian, in his review, said, “the performances the director gets from her young cast are tremendous, and it is terrifically shot.

“Needless to say, Eu has certainly made a brilliant first impression as director.”

Fionnuala Halligan from Screen Daily notes that the film has many “elements which feel exceptionally well-realised: the dynamic between Zaffan’s girl gang, her total alienation, and the sophistication of the natural world that Eu has captured with her technical team.

“Whatever constraints Eu was working under here, and that includes the pandemic alongside funding and numerous co-production elements, they seem unlikely to recur as she goes forward with a career which should be as striking as her debut.”

Kalash Nanda Kumar is a FIPRESCI critic and an international voter for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). He is reporting from the Cannes Film Festival.

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