How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies makes it into Oscars shortlist, official nominations to be announced on Jan 17

The megahit Thai film How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies continues its dominance in 2024 pop culture. On Tuesday (Dec 17), the tearjerker – which is officially the highest-grossing Thai movie in Singapore – was announced as one of the 15 films shortlisted under the International Feature Film category at the upcoming 97th Academy Awards.

It is the only Southeast Asian film on the list, with Singapore's selection La Luna and Malaysia's Abang Adik not making the cut.

The other 14 films joining How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies are:

• I’m Still Here from Brazil
• Universal Language from Canada
• Waves from Czech Republic
• The Girl With The Needle from Denmark
• Emilia Perez from France
• The Seed Of The Sacred Fig from Germany
• Touch from Iceland
• Kneecap from Ireland
• Vermiglio from Italy
• Flow from Latvia
• Armand from Norway
• From Ground Zero from Palestine
• Dahomey from Senegal
• Santosh from the UK

These 15 films advance to the next round of voting which will see members of the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences selecting the final nominations.

The official nominations for the 97th Academy Awards will be announced on Friday (Jan 15), with the award ceremony – hosted by comedian Conan O'Brien – taking place on Mar 2, 2025. 

Speaking to audiences in Singapore at a special screening of the movie in June, How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies director Pat Boonnitipat said that the film's success took him by surprise.

“People were telling me that the movie, which is about a traditional Chinese family, will naturally do well in a Mandarin-speaking country. But when it did well in Indonesia, I realised that the story is universal,” he said.

“Everyone can relate to the bond between a grandmother and her grandson.”