"Lahn Mah" gets closer to Oscar nomination

The hit Thai film How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (Lan Ma) is on the shortlist of 15 in the International Feature Film category at the upcoming 97th Academy Awards.

It is the only Asian film on the Oscars list, which includes:

• I’m Still Here (Brazil)

• Universal Language (Canada)

• Waves (Czech Republic)

• The Girl with the Needle (Denmark)

• Emilia Perez (France)

• The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Germany)

• Touch (Iceland)

• Kneecap (Ireland)

• Vermiglio (Italy)

• Flow (Latvia)

• Armand (Norway)

• From Ground Zero (Palestine)

• Dahomey (Senegal)

• Santosh (UK)

The 15 films will enter the next round of voting, by members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, to select the final nominations.

The final five films nominated for the Oscar in this category will be announced on January 17th and the Academy Awards ceremony will take place on March 2nd, 2025.

How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies is a 2024 Thai comedy-drama directed by Pat Boonnitipat and written by Boonnitipat and Thodsapon Thiptinnakorn.

It stars Putthipong Assaratanakul and Usha Seamkhum in their debut feature film roles. In the film, M (played by Putthipong), is a university dropout, low on money, who volunteers to take care of his terminally ill grandmother (played by Usha) in the hope of inheriting her fortune.

The film was released in Thailand on April 4th by GDH and grossed an estimated US$78.3 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing Thai film of 2024 and the eleventh-highest-grossing domestic film of all time. It also broke box office records in several countries across Asia.

It received widespread praise from critics for its direction, screenplay, performances, music and emotional depth.