Tiger stripes

SYNOPSIS: Zaffan (12) is a rebellious and carefree girl until she starts to experience horrifying physical changes to her body. Struggling to maintain being normal at school, Zaffan is in denial of her inevitable changes and tries to cover herself. Zaffan’s friends however attack her, when all hysteria breaks loose — one by one teenage girls drop to the floors in fits, turning it into a spread of mass hysteria across the school. Rumours of a dark figure in the toilets have caused fear to take over the primary school, and a visiting Medical Officer appoints himself in command — his sole mission to drive away the demon that is haunting them. He soon discovers that Zaffan may be the root of their problems and steps in to perform an exorcism on her. The whole community watches, as the Medical Officer uses extreme methods to shame and physically hurt Zaffan. And like a tiger who has been dragged out of its habitat and poked because we fear it, because we don’t know it — Zaffan decides to finally reveal her true self, her wrath, rage and her beauty, to everyone.

DIRECTOR: Amanda Nell EU

Having graduated from the London Film School with an MA in Filmmaking, Amanda Nell Eu is an alumna of Locarno Filmmakers Academy who has directed short films based in the UK and also Malaysia. Her short film “Lagi Senang Jaga Sekandang Lembu“ premiered at the Venice International Film Festival (2017). The film has continued to travel and win awards in many other international festivals, including receiving a Special Mention at the International Short Film Festival Clermont-Ferrand (2018). In her work, she likes to explore the female body and identity within the context of South East Asia. Her latest film “Tiger stripes” won the Grand prize for Best feature at Cannes 2023 International Critics’ Week.

Directed by:Amanda Nell Eu

Year of production: 2023

Country: Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, France, Germany, Netherlands, Indonesia, Qatar

Duration: 1h 35m