Ah Girl

Ang Geck Geck Priscilla

Drama

★ Shortlisted by dani, Mitch Allen

Programme: Centrepiece
Year: 2026
Runtime: 99 min
Country: Singapore
Language: Chinese / English
Premiere: North American Premiere
TMDB rating: 7.0 (1 votes)

Singapore, 1994. Ah Girl is a curious 7-year-old girl. Since her parents separated, she lives in a small flat with her younger sister, Ah Tian, her easygoing Pa who works nightshifts, and her irritable Grandmother. They see their needy and unreliable Mum on weekends. One weekend, drunk Mum asks if Ah Girl wants to live with her when she gets a bigger flat. This question disrupts Ah Girl's sense of the world, and the rest of the film unfolds as she struggles with the decision. She becomes increasingly aware that her family life is far from normal.

From the TIFF programme

Winner of the Youth Jury Award at the 55th International Film Festival Rotterdam, Ang Geck Geck Priscilla’s feature debut is a bittersweet yet heartwarming story of a young girl as she tries to figure out what it means to become an adult.

Ah Girl (Ong Xuan Jing) is a curious young girl. At the tender age of seven, she spends her days drawing, quarrelling with her sibling, catching spiders, imitating adults, and wishing her whole family could live together. Since her parents’ separation, she has lived in a small apartment with her younger sister, Ah Tian (Sydney Wong), her taciturn father (James Seah) who works the night shift, and her cantankerous grandmother (Doreen Toh). On weekends, the children see their needy, unpredictable mother (Carrie Wong) who attempts to make up for her absence with treats and gifts.

Like any child, Ah Girl desires to grow up to gain control over the decisions in her life — like keeping her hair long. She has no idea that painful and confusing times lie ahead, bringing her challenges no child should have to face.

Adulthood is rushed for this young bud, and reality prunes her prematurely. Unfortunately, the adults in her life are no gardeners — they hardly know what to do themselves. Ah Girl has only herself to depend on — but her undying, rebellious spirit will lead her to bloom regardless.

Inspired by debut filmmaker Ang’s own childhood, Ah Girl evokes a powerful sense of shared memory, making the protagonist's journey feel somehow familiar. The film’s soft cinematography and convincing mise en scène transport viewers back to 1990s Singapore, delivering the nostalgic warmth of a personal home video. By blending mundane details with dreamy sequences, Ang creates delicate, hazy moments that feel both realistic and deeply personal, creating a sense of bittersweet déjà vu.

JUNE KIM

Content advisory: sexually suggestive scenes