Horror is Human

Amanda Nell Eu is the first female Malaysian filmmaker whose debut directorial work, Tiger Stripes, was featured in the Cannes Film Festival 2023. While at first glance a coming-of-age story of a young Malay girl, expect a terrifying twist told through a local's lens

- Koyyi Chin

Ever felt that spinechilling sensation, the kind that tiptoes along your skin when darkness falls? It’s a universal thrill, connecting us across cultures and generations—that is the magic of horror. It taps into the core of our imagination, a place where the shadows hold secrets and fears take shape.

Every culture’s horror is a unique expression of its own identity and landscape. In the heart of Southeast Asia, Malaysian horror is a genre with a twist. While it embraces the classic fear of the unknown, it is deeply rooted in the country’s cultural tapestry. Whether it’s the mystical world of spirits or the captivating folk tales that echo across the Malay archipelago, we draw inspiration from indigenous traditions and age-old superstitions steeped in Southeast Asian moral values.

At the forefront of this pulse-pounding world is Amanda Nell Eu, an awardwinning filmmaker who’s turned her love for horror into a voyage of discovery through the chilling legends of Malaysian culture. Her directorial film debut, Tiger Stripes, became an immediate sensation when it was selected to premiere at the 95th Cannes Film Festival earlier this year.

Eu’s fascination with this unique blend of fright and folklore is clear in her stories. For the premise of Tiger Stripes, it was a world where female puberty wasn’t just seen as a rite of passage, but a taboo topic made known as a transformative, spinetingling experience.