Malaysian feminist body horror film ‘Tiger Stripes’ wins Grand Prix at Cannes Critics’ Week

Malaysian feminist body horror film Tiger Stripes has won the top prize at Cannes Critics’ Week.

• READ MORE: Amanda Nell Eu on her new feminist body horror film ‘Tiger Stripes’: “Society still fears the female body”

The film, which premiered at Cannes last week, was awarded the Grand Prix prize at the Semaine de la critique in Cannes and was voted on by an international jury consisting of cinematographer Rui Poças, film critic Meenakshi Shedde, actor Franz Rogowski, Sundance programmer Kim Yutani and president of the jury, acclaimed director Audrey Diwan.

Directed by Amanda Nell Eu, Tiger Stripes marks her full-length directorial debut and was also the first Malaysian film by a female director to be screened at the acclaimed film festival. It is also just the fourth Malaysian film in history to screen at Cannes.

Amanda Nell Eu said of the accomplishment via a press statement: “We were so honoured to have been invited to la Semaine de la critique in Cannes and to win this prize is just unbelievable. I’m so touched by the jury’s reaction to the film, it really means a lot!”

Sundance programmer Kim Yutani said of Tiger Stripes: “The film bursts through the traditional coming of age story with exuberant creativity, playful homage, and pure animal energy.”

Tiger Stripes tells the story of 12 year old Zaffan, who begins to experience unexpected and horrifying changes in her body alongside the effects of puberty.

Tiger Stripes has yet to receive dates for a regional theatrical release as yet, though Amanda Nell Eu is hopeful of a run at the end of the year or early next.

Speaking to NME about the film earlier this month, Eu said that part of Tiger Stripes was shaped by her personal experiences going through puberty: “The starting point was personal; dealing with my personal feelings and insecurities about growing up as a young girl, going through puberty. As I was researching the film and as I was meeting and getting to know our cast of young girls, talking to them about these themes, I’m finding that it’s all still the same, you know.”

She also revealed that she is already working on her next feature film, which will be set in 1930s Malaya pre-World War 2. To see what else she had to say about her next film and Tiger Stripes, read NME‘s full interview with Amanda Nell Eu here.

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