Being a teenager is hard, but being a teenage girl is Hell. Whilst puberty can be tough for all, the changing female body is a nightmare to navigate. From swelling breasts to periods, extreme changes are not the only thing to fear. Amidst all of the internal carnage comes the problem of teen girl friendships, which as cinema has proven time and time again, can be vicious. New film, Tiger Stripes explores these warring factions within the confines of a small Malaysian community.
Twelve year old trio Zaffan (Zafreen Zairizal), Farah (Deena Ezral), and Mariam (Piqa) are the best of friends. Led by the headstrong and troublesome Zaffan, the three embrace their inner children, but then Zaffan gets her first period and things begin to change. Initially director Amanda Nell Eu sticks to a more traditional drama narrative as she shows how the dynamic changes between the three girls when one of them becomes a ‘woman.’ What was once a friendly rivalry for Zaffan and Farah, becomes something far more intense. Zaffan is teased for her otherness, with Farah the ringleader of the bullying. These sequences are handled carefully, but risk triggering anyone who experienced torment at school as these girls are the epitome of meanness.
The destruction of this female friendship amidst the perils of puberty could easily be enough to sustain Tiger Stripes, but Nell Eu has another string to her bow. Alongside all of the teen angst and drama, another story begins to unfold. This one is lifted straight out of any good body horror, and although not as gooey as some of its brethren, Tiger Stripes contains some eye-catching visuals. Zaffan’s puberty experience becomes a literal horror story, and as her classmates, family, and community become aware, Tiger Stripes ventures into some disturbing territory.
In terms of its narrative structure, the pacing does struggle slightly as the tone shifts from the more drama-led sequences to the moments of horror. Although the conflicting ideas mesh well together, overall there are moments where more focus on one over the other is needed to fully flesh out the emotional element of the story. This is just a minor issue though, as Tiger Stripes slowly draws the viewer into its strange, off-kilter world. The beautiful cinematography further absorbs the audience, who like Zaffan, will find themselves yearning to get lost in the Malaysian wilderness.
A strong feature debut, it is easy to see why Nell Eu’s film became the first female-directed Malaysian movie to screen at Cannes. Her flair for a stunning image is immediately apparent, as is her talent for manifesting emotional trauma, making Tiger Stripes a haunting, and at times harrowing, portrayal of what it feels like to be a girl.
Tiger Stripes
Summary
Part fairy-tale fable, part coming-of-age story, Tiger Stripes is an elegant piece of work that deftly encapsulates the frustration of adolescence.
Tiger Stripes is released in selected UK cinemas from Friday 17th May 2024.
