Thai hit How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, directed by Pat Boonnitipat and starring Billkin, picked up the audience award at this year’s New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF, July 12-28).
The tear-jerker, about a young man who takes care of his terminally ill grandmother, initially with an eye on her inheritance, has grossed $33.5m across Southeast Asia, breaking several records.
Audience Award runner-ups included Hong Kong filmmaker Soi Cheang’s action movie Twilight Warrior: Walled In, followed by a tie for third place between Taiwanese director Leo Wang’s action comedy Breaking And Re-entering and Japanese director Kazuya Shiraishi’s epic samurai film Bushido.
Meanwhile, NYAFF’s Uncaged Award went to Malaysia-Taiwan-Singapore co-production Snow In Midsummer, directed by Malaysia’s Chong Keat Aun, while Indonesian social drama Women From Rote Island, directed by Jeremias Nyangoen, took the Special Jury Award.
Snow In Midsummer is the first film about the tragic riots that took place in Malaysia on May 13, 1969 to ever be released in the country. Chong said: “This film was released nationwide in Malaysia last week, but in a version that is incomplete. It contains 27 instances of blacked-out, blurred-out or muted scenes.
“For the past 50 years, this incident has not been spoken about in Malaysia, so hopefully this award will be a message to the Malaysian government that one day, the complete version of the film can be seen. The award goes to all the family members of the victims and those still searching for closure. We’ll be with you until you find everything that you’re looking for.”
The Uncaged Award jury included Vietnamese-US director Tony Bui, Taiwanese producer Shao-yi Chen, Criterion Channel programming head Aliza Ma, Thai actor Nonkul, Filipino actress Shaina Magdayao and Hong Kong-based sales & acquisitions exec Felix Tsang.
Commenting on Women From Rote Island, the Uncaged Award jury praised the film for its “courageous and uncompromising portrayal of women as second-class citizens through the lens of a heinous act that tears a family and community apart, and its incredible use of non-actors to tell a difficult story in a region rarely portrayed on screen.”
The Best Short Film Award was presented to Cross My Heart And Hope To Die, from the Philippines’ Sam Manacsa, while two Special Mentions went to The Boys And The Donkey, from China’s Tsering Yangjyab, and White Butterfly, from Vietnamese-US filmmaker Catherine T. Nguyen. The Shorts Showcase jury comprised filmmaker Patrick Chen, actors Shuhei Kinoshita and Perry Yung and academic Zhang Zhen.
NYAFF took place at several New York venues, including the Lincoln Center (FLC) and the SVA Theatre, with additional screenings at LOOK Cinemas W57 and special presentations at the Korean Cultural Center New York.
In total, the festival screened nine world premieres, 12 international premieres, and 38 North American premieres. It closed on July 28 with a screening of Twilight Warrior: Walled In, with producer John Chong and actor Philip Ng in attendance for a Q&A session.
Closing out the festival, NYAFF executive director Samuel Jamier told the audience: “The 23rd edition of the New York Asian Film Festival has shattered expectations, proving that Asian cinema’s appeal continues to surge across the city. With our expanded lineup of nearly 100 films across five screens, we’ve witnessed an unprecedented 33% growth in both attendance and box office revenue. One-third of our screenings sold out within days, a testament to New Yorkers’ appetite for diverse storytelling.”