Italian Premiere | In Competition | White Mulberry Award Candidate
Singapore, 2026, 99’, Mandarin, English
Directed by:Ang Geck Geck Priscilla
Screenplay: Ang Geck Geck Priscilla
Cinematography (color): Lim Teck Siang
Editing: Hoping Chen
Art Direction: Yong Chow Soon
Music: Kinn Leonn
Producers: Charlyn Ng, Wendy Lie, Ang Geck Geck Priscilla
Cast: Ong Xuan Jing (Swee Swee/Ah Girl), Sydney Wong (Ah Tian), Doreen Toh (Grandmother), James Seah (Father), Carrie Wong (Mother)
Date of First Release in Territory: TBA
It’s rare for a film to evoke both heartache and warmth so effortlessly, but Ang Geck Geck Priscilla’s debut does just that. By following the daily life of young Swee Swee (Ong Xuan Jing) and her broken family, the audience is welcomed to an intimate but relatable glimpse of a young girl’s world as she tries to figure out what life’s all about.
Swee Swee is an ordinary seven-year-old who spends her days quarreling with her little sister and imitating pageant queens. Wooing her crush and getting a new set of crayons should be her biggest concern at most, but her family’s situation throws more problems at her than her math homework. Unable to comprehend why her parents must stay apart as well as the consequences that come with it, Swee Swee struggles and stumbles. But bravely, she stands her ground and finds ways of making sense of everything – without the help of any adults. Though too early and involuntary, this is the beginning of her step into adulthood.
Set in the 90s and inspired by the filmmaker’s personal experiences,
Ah Girl offers a visual world that millennials will find deeply relatable. From the infamous bowl cut to the iconic red backpack, the film’s art perfectly recreates the atmosphere of the era. The filmmaker’s attention to detail shines especially in the way she makes time for mundane, childlike behavior. Though it might seem irrelevant in moving the narrative along, these moments act as a thread to connect the audience to their own memories of being a child. Ong’s intricate performance in expressing Swee Swee’s large spectrum of emotions leaves us no choice but to fall in love with the child’s sweet innocence. While it’s nostalgic to relive our childhood through Swee Swee, we are also painfully reminded that we have long outgrown that innocence. What breaks our hearts the most is knowing Swee Swee will inevitably grow out of it soon too.
The adults could be seen as the antagonists in
Ah Girl as they never baby Swee Swee. Regretfully, the lack of communication is natural for this generation, and it is the children who must bear the burden. Swee Swee’s confusion and frustration are valid, but interestingly enough, the audience somehow finds the room to understand the adults too. Strong character development, backed by soft music, delicate and purposeful camerawork, and an intentional aspect ratio, the film allows us to live as the grandmother, the mother, and the father too. Aching for each of their burdens, the audience grows one more step with Swee Swee into maturer adulthood, where we can’t help but see things from all sides. Like a cup of warm soy milk,
Ah Girl gently cradles our childhood memories, comforts past traumas, but gives us the courage to be brave and compassionate.
Ang Geck Geck Priscilla
Alumna of Nanyang Technological University’s School of Art, Design and Media and a Busan Asian Film Academy’s directing fellow, Ang Geck Geck Priscilla is a Singaporean filmmaker recognized for her intimate, socially conscious storytelling and deep emotional authenticity. She has directed a range of acclaimed short films and commercials after her debut short Broken Crayon (2013) won Best Short Film at the Singapore Short Film Festival. She expanded the narrative of Broken Crayon into Ah Girl, her feature-length debut.
FILMOGRAPHY
2026 – Ah Girl