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Ilo Ilo (2013)

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In 90s Singapore, the friendship between Filipino nursemaid Teresa and her young charge Jiale makes waves in a family, while the Asian recession hits the region.

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30 wins & 13 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
Teck (as Tianwen Chen)
...
Jia Ler Koh ...
Peter Wee ...
Discipline Master
Jo Kukathas ...
School Principal
Naomi Toh ...
English Teacher (Mrs Ong)
Stephanie Kiong ...
Teacher
Jia Min Chantel Teo ...
Teacher
Zhi Fang Xu ...
Teacher
Sea Moi Lee ...
Teacher
James Ng ...
Teacher
Sook Fen Wong ...
Teacher
Siow Phing Tan ...
Teacher
...
Teacher (as Muhd Aizuddin Bin Nasser)
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Storyline

Set in Singapore, Ilo Ilo chronicles the relationship between the Lim family and their newly arrived maid, Teresa. Like many other Filipino women, she has come to this city in search of a better life. Her presence in the family worsens their already strained relationship. Jiale, the young and troublesome son, starts to form a unique bond with Teresa, who soon becomes an unspoken part of the family. This is 1997 and the Asian Financial Crisis is beginning to be felt in the region... Written by anonymous

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Genres:

Drama

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Details

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Release Date:

29 August 2013 (Singapore)  »

Also Known As:

Retratos de familia  »

Filming Locations:


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Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,775, 6 April 2014, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$54,071, 13 July 2014
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Company Credits

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Technical Specs

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Sound Mix:

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Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Official submission of Singapore to the Oscars 2014 best foreign language film category. See more »

Quotes

Terry: [to Jiale, in bathroom] What, you think I haven't seen before? I've seen bigger ones, okay?
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Soundtracks

Kahapon at pag-ibig
Written by Lolita Carbon
Performed by Asin
Courtesy of Lolita Carbon
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Frequently Asked Questions

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User Reviews

 
Splendid film that brings a country to life
7 October 2015 | by – See all my reviews

ILO ILO is a breath of fresh air in the complex, exciting world of Asian cinema. I hadn't seen any films before dealing with Singaporean society so I was looking forward to watching this one and I wasn't disappointed. ILO ILO is a beautifully shot, beautifully acted family drama and I find it hard to believe that the director was only in his 20s when he made this. What a talent!

The story is a small-scale one designed to highlight the melting pot of cultures and identities that co-exist in the city state. The main character is a Filipino maid who comes to look after the spoilt son of a Chinese family living in Singapore. Initially the boy hates her, but gradually the maid becomes a part of the family. However, the recession blighting the country during the late 1990s is a cloud that looms on the horizon.

ILO ILO is very good at putting across a sense of time and place and I particularly enjoyed the backdrop of financial difficulty in which job loss, quiet desperation, and even suicide are themes. What keeps you watching though are the expertly-drawn characters who are brought to life through sparse dialogue. The maid is a thoroughly sympathetic protagonist, but the real delight is child actor Jia Ler Koh; I really appreciate films where you initially hate a character but end up loving them and that's the case here. I'm not a huge fan of art-house cinema but this is a film I can recommend to all.


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