‘Stranger Eyes’ selected as Singapore’s Oscars entry for the Best International Feature Film Category 2026

Stranger Eyes, an evocative new film written and directed by Yeo Siew Hua, has been selected by the Singapore Film Commission (SFC) Advisory Committee as the official Singaporean entry for the 98th Academy Awards (Oscars) in 2026, competing in the Best International Feature Film category. This suspense driven thriller charts a gripping exploration of surveillance, grief, and identity.

2. Stranger Eyes made its world premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival, where it earned critical acclaim for its atmospheric visuals and psychological depth. It was the first Singapore film ever to be selected for Venice’s main competition. The new film marks Yeo’s much anticipated follow up to his Locarno Golden Leopard-winning A Land Imagined, which was also his first film selected for the 2018 Oscars.

3. The production of Stranger Eyes is the result of cross-border collaboration involving production houses from Singapore, Taiwan, France, and the United States of America (USA), including Akanga Film Asia, Volos Films, Films de Force Majeure, and Cinema Inutile. Post Venice, the film continued its festival journey as the opening feature of both the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival and the Singapore International Film Festival in 2024, earning praise for its deep emotional resonance and thematic boldness. The film is represented by sales agent Playtime and currently being released in the USA by Film Movement.

4. Stranger Eyes is supported by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and the SFC under the Media Talent Progression Programme. Yvonne Tang, Assistant Chief Executive (Media Industry Group) at IMDA, said, “We are proud to present Stranger Eyes as Singapore’s official entry for the 2026 Oscars. Since its premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival, the film has screened across more than 10 territories, garnering strong attention from both the international film community and consumers. Stranger Eyes reflects of the growing strength of Made-with-Singapore films. With nine Made-with-Singapore films premiering and competing at top festivals like Cannes, Toronto, and Busan this year, it is clear that our stories are finding their place on the world stage.”

5. The director, Yeo Siew Hua, added, “It’s a real honour to represent Singapore again for a second time since my previous film. Thank you to all who have given me this opportunity to explore how we are looking at each other through this film. It is important to keep our stories alive and to continue to tell stories that matter.”

6. The producer, Fran Borgia of Akanga Film Asia, said, “We started developing Stranger Eyes 10 years ago and couldn’t have achieved this great privilege to be Singapore’s Oscars representative without the belief and support of the IMDA and SFC as well as our coproduction partners. We’re proud that a multinational film like Stranger Eyes, reflecting Singapore’s precious diversity, can showcase our nation’s plurality on the world stage.”