97th Oscars: “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” Makes History as a Top 15 Contender for Best International Feature Film
The 97th Academy Awards will be held on March 2, 2025, in the United States, which corresponds to the morning of March 3, 2025, in Hong Kong. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the shortlist for the Best International Feature Film and nine other categories on December 18, 2024.
Representing Hong Kong, the blockbuster film “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In,” directed by Cheang Pou-soi, did not make the final 15. In contrast, the Thai film “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies,” directed by Pat Boonnitipat and featuring popular idol Billkin (Putthipong Assaratanakul), has achieved a historic milestone as one of the few Asian films on the shortlist. This marks the first time a Thai film has reached this stage.
Since its release in Thailand on April 4, 2024, the film grossed over 100 million Thai Baht (approximately 22.7 million HKD) within five days and topped the box office for four consecutive weeks, breaking records previously held by “Bad Genius.” Ultimately, “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” grossed 172 million Thai Baht (approximately 39.17 million HKD), ranking as the 12th highest-grossing local film in Thailand’s history. Whether it can advance to the final five will be determined after the nominations voting concludes, with results to be announced on January 17, 2025.
Film critic He A-Lan believes that the French entry “Emilia Pérez” and the Brazilian film “I’m Still Here,” directed by Jacques Audiard and Walter Salles, respectively, have significant recognition in the U.S. from their previous English-language films. Additionally, Germany’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” directed by Mohammad Rasoulof, who fled to Germany from Iran, is likely to appeal to the Academy for both political and artistic reasons. Along with Denmark’s “The Girl With the Needle,” these four films are strong contenders for the final five. Meanwhile, the Irish film “Kneecap” has gained much attention and box office success internationally, and Senegal’s “Dahomey,” which won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, presents tough competition. Given such strong contenders, “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” faces significant challenges to advance further. (Latest update: In the recently announced final five on January 17, 2025, “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” ultimately did not make the list.)
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Best International Feature Film Shortlist
- “I’m Still Here” (Brazil)
- “Universal Language” (Canada)
- “Waves” (Czech Republic)
- “The Girl with the Needle” (Denmark)
- “Emilia Pérez” (France)
- “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” (Germany)
- “Touch” (Iceland)
- “Kneecap” (Ireland)
- “Vermiglio” (Italy)
- “Flow” (Latvia)
- “Armand” (Norway)
- “From Ground Zero” (Palestine)
- “Dahomey” (Senegal)
- “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” (Thailand)
- “Santosh” (United Kingdom)
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For the complete shortlists announced for the 10 award categories of the 97th Oscars, visit: https://press.oscars.org/news/97th-oscarsr-shortlists-10-award-categories-announced
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“How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” is now available on Now Video Express.
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