Terry (Angeli Bayani) accepts a job as a maid
for an ordinary family living in a tenement in Singapore, where she quickly
meets her biggest challenge: the precocious ten-year old boy Jiale. Terry
nearly gets deported when the kid frames her for theft. But Terry will not be
pushed around, and with tough love and determination, she slowly wins the heart
of the little boy. As Terry takes charge of the household, she also strikes the
suspicions of the mother, a pregnant working woman who doesn’t want to lose
control. But the year is 1997, in the middle of the Asian financial crisis, and
the father has just lost his job. While the family struggles with their
finances, Terry’s employment is also put on the line. Based on the true
experiences of director Anthony Chen and the Filipina maid who raised him as a
child, Iloilo is the story of how
people across cultures connect with one another in the midst of frustrations
and doubts.
Iloilo,
inspired by director Anthony Chen’s experiences growing up with a Filipina
maid, is a moving tale about a young mother from Iloilo, Philippines who comes
to Singapore to work as a maid, and her employers, a Singaporean family
struggling to survive through tough times; and how they are able to build
connections despite their differences and amidst the fears, frustrations, and
doubts that surround them.
A familiar name in Singapore and Malaysia, Yann
Yann first secured her standing in the Singapore entertainment industry after a
string of notable films such as Singapore box office hit 881, Singapore Dreaming, Love Matters and Being Human. After returning
to Malaysia, Yann Yann wowed the local audience with her leading role in the
local drama series, The Iron Lady. Her other outstanding performances include
Malaysia’s first period martial arts comedy Petaling
Street Warriors, blockbuster drama series The Descendant and comedy sitcom Time FM.
This is Yann Yann’s second collaboration with
Anthony after short film Ah Ma (Special
Mention, 60th Cannes Film Festival)
CHEN
TIAN WEN
Chen Tian Wen is a household name in Singapore,
a seasoned actor with over 20 years of experience. His popularity extends
beyond Singapore, with several regional co-produced TV dramas under his belt,
particularly in China where his role as a bubbly monk in The Royal Monk is still remembered
by Singapore and Chinese viewers till this day. To date, Tian Wen has taken
part in over 60 television productions; films and stage plays.
Ilo Ilo marks
Tian Wen’s first major role in a feature film.
ANGELI
BAYANI
Angeli began her professional theater career in
2002 when she joined the Tanghalang Pilipino Actors’ Company, resident theater
company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
Her film credits include Ang Huling Araw Ng Linggo (2006), Adela (2008), the Arte France telemovie, Esclaves de Mers (2009), and Pink
Halo-Halo (2010).
Internationally, she is most known for her roles
in Filipino auteur Lav Diaz’s films. Her first Lav Diaz film, the 9 ½-hour Kagadanan Sa Banwaan Ning Mga Engkanto (Death In The Land Of Encantos, 2007) was
awarded the Special Mention Prize, Orizzonti at the 64th Venice International
Film Festival. In 2008, Angeli was presented the Vic Silayan Award for Best
Actress – International Category at the Dekada Cinemanila Awards for her second
Lav Diaz film, Melancholia (2008).
The 8-hour epic was awarded the Premio Orizzonti at the 65th Venice
International Film Festival. She was nominated in the 32nd Gawad Urian 2009 for
the same role.
Angeli received a Gawad Buhay citation for
Outstanding Female Lead Performance for playing Monette (Irina) in Tanghalang
Pilipino's adaptation of Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters, Tatlong Mariya (2010). Along with her fellow actors in the film Presa (2010), she was presented the
Gawad Tanglaw Award for Best Actress (Ensemble). She was also involved in
"The Erotic Man" (2010) by Danish poet and film director, Jørgen
Leth, friend and mentor to filmmaker Lars von Trier. Her recent plays are Care Divas (2011) and Noli Me Tangere The Musical (2011). She
was nominated as Best Supporting Actress for her role in Ka Oryang (2011) in the Cinema One Originals 2011 and the 35th
Gawad Urian. She recently
starred in Juana Change: The Movie, a
political satire film written by Rody Vera and directed by Jade Castro.
This is Angeli Bayani’s first film involvement
outside the Philippines.
