The Big Picture

Puberty and junior high are a nightmare mash-up that breeds shame and awkwardness in an exclusive sneak peek from Amanda Nell Eu’s
Tiger Stripes
.
Zaffan, the main character, faces brutal bullying in the girls’ bathroom before unleashing a shocking transformation on her tormentors.

Tiger Stripes
examines Zaffan’s struggle to accept her body’s changes through a horror lens, earning critical acclaim and a Cannes Film Festival prize.

Puberty and junior high have absolutely no business happening at the same time and yet here we are. One of life’s earliest horrors can lead to plenty of shame and awkwardness, both of which aren’t in the least bit helped by the stigma surrounding those intensely difficult years. Perhaps that’s why filmmakers and authors have so often focused their stories on that unpleasant time in a young person’s life and the universal experience that affects us all. The latest horror helmer to do so is Amanda Nell Eu, who makes her directorial debut with the Malay-language movie, Tiger Stripes. Collider can now share an exclusive sneak peek spotlighting the terrors of Zaffan’s (Zafreen Zairizal) early teenage years as she is bullied by other girls in her class.

Hoping for a brief respite from the daily traumas of junior high, Zaffan takes a minute to herself in the girls’ bathroom but is soon interrupted by her relentless pursuers. With their leader demanding their every move, a group of bullies descends on Zaffan during her time out and pulls her from her haven in the bathroom stall. Kicking and punching, half of the attackers get Zaffan onto the ground and begin looting through her backpack while two others film the entire incident on their phones. Harsh words are hurled at Zaffan, with the gang’s leader pinning her down, berating her with insults, and ripping her hijab from her head. As she escapes their grip and lunges towards safety, Zaffan terrifies her attackers when they see that she’s grown a very sharp set of nails. But, they don’t have any time to react before their target turns the tables and charges at them with vengeance on her mind.

What Is ‘Tiger Stripes’ About?

Finding itself in the company of other classic titles like Tusk, Dead Ringers, Crimes of the Future, and Re-Animator, Tiger Stripes easily lands itself in the genre off-shoot of body horror. The plot centers around Zaffan’s run-in with the impossible-to-escape years of puberty when, not only does she go through the normal changes that face every teen, but she also finds out something very strange is going on with her body. After being pushed to the outskirts of her community, Zaffan has no choice but to fight back and make peace with everything the outside world sees as an imperfection. Along with Zairizal, Tiger Stripes also stars Shaheizy Sam, Deena Ezral, Piqa, June Lojong, and Khairunazwan Rodz.

Already a popular title among those who have been lucky enough to see it, Tiger Stripes earned the 2023 Cannes Film Festival Critics’ Week Grand Prize back in May. The movie will celebrate its theatrical release on June 14 with a VOD release to follow on July 9 through Dark Star Pictures. You can check out our exclusive sneak peek above.