1 / 8
ERA
Did you know
Released 13 years ago.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Ilo Ilo
2013 1h 40m ZH
👍
6.8
SOLID
🔥
100%
CERTIFIED FRESH
💯
85
METACRITIC
⭐
7.2
IMDB
★6.8TMDB · 123🍅100%Rotten Tomatoes●85Metacritic★7.2IMDB · 5,053
DramaFamily
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
During the late 1990s, a busy working-class Singaporean couple hires a Filipino woman as a maid and nanny to their young son.
“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”
Cast
Yeo Yann Yann
Lim Hwee Leng
Chen Tian Wen
Lim Beng Teck
Angeli Bayani
Teresa
Koh Jia Ler
Lim Jiale
Jo Kukathas
Ms. Davie
Peter Wee
Discipline Master
Naomi Toh
Mrs. Ong
Stephanie Kiong
Teacher
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Anthony Chen
- Writers
- Anthony Chen
- Languages
- Mandarin, Tagalog, English
- Countries
- Singapore, France
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
Dialogue crosses 3 languages: Mandarin, Tagalog, English.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
International production across 2 countries: Singapore, France.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
ERA
Did you know
Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Anthony Chen, shot by Benoît Soler. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Hoping Chen shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Yeo Yann Yann and Chen Tian Wen and Angeli Bayani carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt2901736 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Anthony Chen directs. Benoît Soler behind the camera. Hoping Chen cuts. Produced in Singapore, France. Dialogue in Mandarin, Tagalog, English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Released 13 years ago.
- 2Dialogue crosses 3 languages: Mandarin, Tagalog, English.
- 3International production across 2 countries: Singapore, France.
- 4Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
- 5Directed by Anthony Chen, shot by Benoît Soler. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 6Editor Hoping Chen shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 7Yeo Yann Yann and Chen Tian Wen and Angeli Bayani carry the top of the cast.
- 8IMDB entry: tt2901736 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 9Classified under 31 themes, including "singapore", "nanny", "motherly love", "love".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Benoît Soler
- Editing
- Hoping Chen
- Runtime
- 100 min · 1h 40m
- Status
- Released
- Box office
- $54,071
- Original language
- ZH
- Certification (US)
- 12 anos
- IMDB
- Ilo Ilo (2013)
- Rotten Tomatoes
- 100% 🍅 Fresh
- Metacritic
- 85/100
- IMDB rating
- 7.2/10 · 5,053 votes
- MPAA
- Not Rated
Awards
34 wins & 19 nominations
- Golden Horse Award for Best Feature Film
Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.
Also by
Anthony Chen
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
- FI
Fisheye Pictures
SG
Memento Production
FR
Key crew
- ProducerAnthony Chen
- ProducerWahyuni A. Hadi
- ProducerHwee Sim Ang
- Art DirectionMichael Wee
- EditorHoping Chen
- EditorJoanne Cheong
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- singapore
- nanny
- motherly love
- love
- young boy
- problem child
- maid
- loss of job
- estranged father
- mother figure
- financial crisis
- losing money
- financial problem
- migrant worker
- money problems
- fired
- feelings
- 1990s
- pinay
- estranged mother
- singlish
- mother son estrangement
- haughty mother
- woman employer
- filipino
- filipino abroad
- game of chance
- naughty boy
- loto
- overseas filipino workers
- arrogant
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical2015-04-3012 anos
Also known as
International titles
- 爸媽不在家TW
- Quando Meus Pais Não Estão em CasaBR
- Ba ma bu zai jiaTW
