The hit Thai comedy “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” won the audience award at the New York Asian Film Festival on Sunday, it was announced.
The film is directed by Thai director Pat Boonittipat and stars Belkin Puttipong Asaratanakul as a lazy man who quits his job to become a caregiver for his grandmother. The film has broken box office records for a Thai or Asian film in many Asian territories. The director and star were both present at the festival.
“The 23rd edition of the New York Asian Film Festival shattered expectations, proving that the appeal of Asian cinema continues to grow across the city,” said Samuel Jamir, Executive Director of the New York Asian Film Festival and President of the New York Asian Film Foundation. “With our expanded lineup of nearly 100 films across 5 screens, we saw an unprecedented 33% growth in both attendance and box office receipts. A third of our screenings sold out within days, a testament to New Yorkers’ appetite for diverse storytelling. Our expanded Thai and Taiwanese sections were highlights, while the triumphant return of major productions from Hong Kong rekindled the city’s love affair with this vibrant cinema.”
The runner-up for the Audience Award was Sui Qiang’s action film “Twilight Warrior: Walled In,” which also screened at the closing ceremony. Third place was shared between Taiwanese director Liu Wang’s action comedy “Breaking and Re-entering,” a reverse heist film, and Japanese director Shiraishi Kazuya’s samurai epic “Bushido.”
The festival's best film award, decided by the jury, went to Snow in the Midsummer. A Southeast Asian co-production directed by Chong Kit Onn, the film is an original take on the 1969 anti-Chinese riots in Malaysia. The slow-burn drama has won numerous awards on the international festival circuit and was recently released commercially in Malaysia, where it was heavily censored.
The Special Jury Prize was also awarded to “Women of Roti Island” by director Jeremias Nyangwen from Indonesia.
The Best Short Film award went to “Cross My Heart and Hope to Die” by Filipino director Sam Manasca. Two additional Special Mentions were announced for “The Boys and the Donkey” by Chinese director Tsering Yangjiap and “White Butterfly” by Vietnamese-American director Katherine Thi Nguyen.
The New York Asian Film Festival is held in collaboration with the New York Asian Film Foundation and the Lincoln Center Film Festival. The festival will be held at various locations from July 12 to 28, 2024.
