How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies is an emotional and touching story about family members scrambling to be grandma’s number one so as to inherit when she dies.

How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies begins as a story about greed, but grows into an examination of family and love.

The members of this Thai Chinese family need a quick description. M (Putthipong Assaratanakul), in the earphones, is aimless and thinks he can make money streaming video games. Amah (Usha Seamkhum), the family matriarch, lives in her own home and makes a living selling congee. This was Usha Seamkhum’s first ever acting role, and she was wonderful. Her granddaughter Rainbow (Himawari Tajiri) sits beside her.

In the back row, from the left is eldest son Kiang (Sanya Kunakorn). He is a successful businessman. Amah’s daughter Sew (Jear Sarinrat Thomas) is next. She actually cares about her mother as a person rather than a source for an inheritance. Next to her is Soei (Pongsatorn Jongwilas). He’s a gambler and a loser who isn’t above stealing from his mother.

Finally we see Mui (Tontawan Tantivejakul), M’s cousin, and the person who tells him that he can be number one if he cares for the dying Amah and makes himself indispensable. She inherited a house of her own this way.

Amah understands her children and grandchildren better than they understand themselves. She knows what they need. She’s aware they are all scrambling to inherit everything from her. They live in a culture where daughters don’t inherit – she cared for her dying father and he still left everything to her older brother.

There is bickering and fighting among the family as they vie to be number one.

Amah tells M she wants a large burial plot, hoping it will bring her family together as they visit her gravesite. There are several scenes in the Thai graveyard. Such a large plot would cost ฿1 million.

M starts off with only money on his mind, but as he cares for his grandmother through treatments and the tribulations of her illness, he changes. He remembers his childhood with her. He realizes how wonderful she is.

M finally recognizes that his mother, Sew, is more concerned about her mother than about money. M slowly comes around to see that as the right way himself.

How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies is the official submission of Thailand for the ‘Best International Feature Film’ category of the 97th Academy Awards in 2025. The film is a journey of the heart and has many poignant and touching moments, especially between M and Amah.

I thought it was a lovely story. First time director Pat Boonnitipat also helped write the screenplay. It’s streaming on Netflix.