A Thai film shakes up the screens: “How to get rich (thanks to your grandmother)”.

A coveted inheritance, a dying grandmother and unexpected tenderness: the Thai film that turns hearts upside down arrives in cinemas. Both satirical and moving, it asks a simple question: can family love survive money?

A universal story… and a deeply intimate one

Pat Boonnitipat‘s debut feature, How to Get Rich (Thanks to Your Grandma), is surprisingly accurate. Based on a screenplay by Tosa Pong, this comedy-drama follows M, a lazy, tech-savvy young man with dreams of becoming a streamer, who gets close to his seriously ill grandmother Amah… in the hope of receiving an inheritance. But as the days go by, their bond grows stronger, turning appearances upside down.

Played by actress Usha Seamkhum, the matriarch imposes a tender, rustic presence. Around her gravitate family members with divergent interests: debts, jealousies, unspoken words… all the ingredients of an intergenerational drama.

Money (from a grandmother) as an indicator of feelings

This film tackles head-on a taboo subject: the impact of money on family relationships. As Pat Boonnitipat points out, “expressing love through money is frowned upon in Thailand, yet you can never totally separate the two”.

It’s precisely this tension – between genuine emotion and self-serving motives – that makes the story so captivating. M is not alone in his desire to benefit from the inheritance: a favored cousin, an indebted uncle, an unmarried daughter… they all gravitate towards Amah. The film becomes a mirror of emotions, oscillating between humor, tenderness and satire.

A viral phenomenon, particularly on TikTok and in several European countries, Comment devenir riche (grâce à sa grand-mère) proves that a local subject can have a universal appeal. In theaters since April 16, it’s already on its way to becoming a generational classic.

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