Cannes’ Critics’ Week Honors Malaysian Film ‘Tiger Stripes’ With Grand Jury Prize

“Tiger Stripes,” the debut feature of Malaysian director Amanda Nell Eu, won the Grand Prize at Cannes’ Critics’ Week, the Cannes sidebar dedicated to first or second films. The prize was awarded by a jury presided over by Audrey Diwan, the Venice prizewinning director of “Happening.”

The French Touch Jury Award went to Belgian director Paloma Sermon-Daï’s “It’s Raining in the House,” a film about adolescence, while the Revelation prize from the Louis Roederer Foundation was handed out to Jovan Ginic, the actor of Vladimir Perisic’s “Lost Country.”  The SACD prize, meanwhile, went to “The Rapture” by Iris Kaltenbäck.

“Tiger Stripes” tells the story of Zaffan, a 12 year-old girl who discovers a terrifying secret about her body. Ostracized by her community, Zaffan fights back, learning that in order to be free she must embrace the body she feared, emerging as a proud, strong woman.

The film stars Zafreen Zairizal, Deena Ezral and Piqa. It was produced by Foo Fei Ling, Patrick Mao Huang, Fran Borgia, Juliette Lepoutre, Pierre Menahem, Jonas Weydemann, Ellen Havenith and Yulia Evina Bhara. The movie will be released in France by Jour2Fete and is represented in international markets by Films Boutique.

Another film about youth, “It’s Raining in the House” is set in Belgium and follows 17-year-old Purdey and her younger brother Makenzy as they experience first love and fend for themselves.

Jovan Ginic, meanwhile, plays 15-year Stefan in “Lost Country,” which is set in Serbia in 1996 during the student demonstrations against the Milosevic regime. The story follows Stefan who has to confront his beloved mother, spokesperson and accomplice of the corrupted government that his friends are rising against. “Lost Country” is bring sold by Memento International.

This 62nd edition closed with “La fille de son père,” Erwan le Duc’s anticipated follow up to his critically acclaimed debut “Perdrix.”

Besides Diwan, the jury included Portuguese cinematographer Rui Poças (“Tabu,” “Zama”); German actor, choreographer and dancer Franz Rogowski (“A Hidden Life”); Indian journalist, curator and Berlinale programming advisor Meenakshi Shedde; and Sundance programming director Kim Yutani.

Headed by Ava Cahen, Critics’ Week’s recent standouts include Charlotte Wells’ “Aftersun” which won last year’s top prize and went on to earn an Oscar nomination for Paul Mezcal.