FILM-MAKER Anthony Chen has become the first Singaporean to win the prestigious Camera d'Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
He received the coveted trophy, given to the best first feature film, at 7pm last night (1am Singapore time) in Cannes for his movie Ilo Ilo. Starring Yeo Yann Yann, Chen Tianwen, Angeli Bayani and newcomer Koh Jia Ler, it tells a domestic story of a family and their new maid.
The 29-year-old, who is now also the first South-east Asian winner in the award's 36-year history, said he was "very shocked" at the good news.
He was, in fact, about to leave Cannes yesterday afternoon to join his wife in London when he got a call from organisers telling him to attend the closing ceremony later in the evening.
The star-studded affair was held at the Palais des Festivals et des Congres. It was attended by directors Steven Spielberg, Lee Ang and actress Nicole Kidman, who are jury members.
It is also the ceremony at which the coveted Palme d'Or prize is handed out.
Chen's first thought: iron his tuxedo.
"I've been wearing it every night to premieres because they're black-tie events and it's very wrinkled." He added that he had "a most surreal week".
Ilo Ilo has been winning warm reviews in the past week after premiering to a 15-minute standing ovation last Sunday.
This is not the first time Chen, who graduated from Ngee Ann Polytechnic's School of Film & Media Studies, has won attention at Cannes.
His short film Ah Ma (Grandma) was in the running for the Palme d'Or for Short Film in 2007 and received a Special Mention award, a first for a local film-maker.
As for what he will do with his new trophy, Chen said jokingly that he might "sell it for a million dollars because I'm very poor".
The win had come on the last day of the festival and the cast who were there for the premiere had already left for home.
Ilo Ilo will be screened in Singapore at the end of August as Golden Village has already bought the distribution rights.
Chen said the company has been very supportive.
Previous Singapore films which have been screened in Cannes include Eric Khoo's Be With Me and Boo Junfeng's Sandcastle.
This article was first run in The Straits Times newspaper on May 27, 2013. For similar stories, go to sph.straitstimes.com/premium/singapore. You will not be able to access the Premium section of The Straits Times website unless you are already a subscriber.