In this biography
Quick facts
- Born
- 18 April 1984
- Birthplace
- Singapore
- Country
- Singapore
- Nationality
- Singaporean
- Known for
- Winning the Caméra d’Or at Cannes for Ilo Ilo, the first Singaporean feature to receive the prize
- Full name
- Anthony Chen Zheyi
- Debut feature
- Ilo Ilo, 2013
- Cannes award
- Caméra d’Or, 2013
- Primary roles
- Director, screenwriter and producer
Why this life matters
Chen’s films turn everyday domestic relationships into internationally legible stories without dissolving their Singaporean and Southeast Asian specificity.
Timeline
Key moments
Cannes recognised Ah Ma
His short film received a Special Distinction in the festival’s short-film competition.
Ilo Ilo won the Caméra d’Or
His first feature received Cannes’ award for best debut feature.
Golden Horse breakthrough
Ilo Ilo won major awards including Best Feature Film and Best New Director.
Released Wet Season
Returned to Singapore for a second feature about intimacy, displacement and social expectation.
The Breaking Ice premiered at Cannes
Expanded his filmmaking across borders with a story set in northeast China.
Learning cinema through short films
Anthony Chen studied film at Ngee Ann Polytechnic and developed his craft through short works. Ah Ma reached the Cannes competition in 2007 and received a Special Distinction, giving Chen international recognition before he had made a feature.
Ilo Ilo and a historic Cannes prize
Ilo Ilo drew on the relationship between a Singapore family and a Filipina domestic worker during the 1997 Asian financial crisis. In 2013 it won the Caméra d’Or for best first feature at Cannes and later took major Golden Horse awards, establishing a new international landmark for Singapore cinema.
Singapore stories across borders
Wet Season returned to questions of migration, care and loneliness in Singapore. The Breaking Ice moved to China while retaining Chen’s close attention to emotional restraint and people caught between expectations. Together the films show a career growing outward without abandoning the intimate scale of his debut.
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions about Anthony Chen
- Who is Anthony Chen?
- Anthony Chen is a film director, screenwriter and producer. Chen’s films turn everyday domestic relationships into internationally legible stories without dissolving their Singaporean and Southeast Asian specificity.
- What is Anthony Chen best known for?
- Anthony Chen is best known for winning the Caméra d’Or at Cannes for Ilo Ilo, the first Singaporean feature to receive the prize.
- When and where was Anthony Chen born?
- Anthony Chen was born on 18 April 1984 in Singapore.
Sources and further reading
How this biography was checked
Core dates and offices are checked against the sources below. This profile was last reviewed on 7 September 2026.
