ILO ILO

Singapore, 2013, 99 minutes, Colour.
Yann Yann Yeo, Tian Wen Chen, Angeli Bayani, Jialer Koh.
Directed by Anthony Chen.

Ilo Ilo is a first feature from Singapore director, Anthony Chen. It is quite an accomplished piece of work and was screened in many festivals around the world, winning him an award at Cannes.
The setting is 1997, the beginnings of financial crisis, affecting families and their way of life. This film focuses on a young boy, mischievous, obstreperous with the teachers, and fighting other students. He is much the same at home. His father is a quiet man who loses his job. His mother is successful in her work but is pregnant. They make a decision to hire a maid.

She is from the Philippines, has a child at home, but needs the money to support her child and his care. She is successful in the household, but the boy is antagonistic towards her, especially as she shares his room. After he is accidentally hit by a car, and she shows him care, they begin to bond, doing many things together, his opening up, feeling some affection, with the result that his mother is more than a touch jealous.

With hard times, the family have to let the maid go and she returns to the Philippines. But, they are the better for having had her in their house.

1. An interesting film from Singapore? Characters, situations? The 1990s?

2. The visuals, the city, the streets, homes, school, firms? Interiors? Musical score?

3. The film and its social statements, the Chinese in Singapore, affluence, servants, jobs, schools, the touch of arrogance, attitudes towards foreigners? Financial crisis and change of situations?

4. The young boy, mischievous, at school, clashing with the principal, at home, the touch of arrogance, relationship with his parents, reaction to the food? His room, clashes, moods? His hostility to having a maid, to Terry herself? His treatment of her, talking with her, sharing the room and his reluctance? At meals? His lacking discipline, outside playing, on the bike, Terry chasing him, his being hit, the hospital, his arm in a sling, his needs?

5. The father, the designer, a quiet man, at home, secretly smoking? The demonstration and the break? His being fired? No jobs, security guard work and paying by the hour, the accident, his leaving? His relationship with his wife, frustrations? Sharing the cigarette with Terry?

6. His wife, at work, busy, the phone calls, having to go to the school, reprimanding her son? At home, the meals, pregnant? The school and contacts at her work, her friends at work? The second incident, the boy and his hurting the other boy, reaction of the principal? At school, the principal’s speech about violence? Difficulties with her son? The decision to hire a maid, the interview with Terry?

7. Terry, from the Philippines, the interview, her being hired, her work, sharing the room with the boy, the wife giving her some clothes to wear and her later wearing them? Cooking, a place at the table? The boy, his hostility, going out the wrong door at school and Terry being locked out, the observations of the neighbour? Lack of discipline? Chasing him, the accident, his accepting her, the gradual building up of the bond, his betting? Terry and her phone calls to the Philippines, her son, carefully him? Her day off, going to the centre, looking for jobs? The hairdressing job, the boss, the other women? The difficulties? Her being let go, sad, their farewell at the airport?

8. The effect of Terry on the boy, his change, feeling affection, sharing with her, talking and playing? His mother wary and the touch of jealousy?

9. A portrait of family life, difficulties, stress, collaboration?

10. 1997 – and the future, financial difficulties, prosperity and recovery?