GRANDMA NAI WHO PLAYED FAVORITES
​by Chheangkea​

19min | Cambodia/France/USA | 2025

During her chaotic family’s Qingming visit, dead Grandma Nai sneaks away from her peaceful afterlife after overhearing that her queer grandson is about
​to get engaged to a woman.​

Original Title Chao Somnop Chet
​Year of production 2025
Length 19'
Country Cambodia/France/USA
Shooting Format Digital
Aspect Ratio 1.37:1
Dialogue Khmer
​
Director Chheangkea
Production Companies Anti-Archive, NoMad Productions
Producers Daniel Mattes, Karen Madar
Co-Producers Loy Te, Vincent Villa
Writer Chheangkea
Cinematographer Shyan Tan
Editor Chheangkea
First Assistant Director Senghorng “Mio” Thong
Casting Savunthara Seng
Acting Coach Sreylin Meas
Production Designer Bandiddh Prum
Costume Designer Phuong Nguyen
Unit Production Manager Monysak Sou
Location Manager Socheata Van
Sound Designer/Mixer Vincent Villa
Colorist Elie Akoka
Cast Bonrotanak Rith, Saroeun Nay, Sokun Theary Ty, Phalla Im, Chansophorn “Rose” Buth, Ponleu Chab, Naryroth Say, Sophat Peov, Bophal Meas
​​
Festival selections
​​Sundance Film Festival 2025, USA - World Premiere, Short Film Jury Award: International Fiction
International Film Festival of Rotterdam 2025, Netherlands
​Tampere Film Festival 2025, Finland
​​Green Mountain Film Festival 2025, USA
Glasgow Short Film Festival 2025, UK
Asian Pop-Up Cinema 2025, USA
Fribourg International Film Festival 2025, Switzerland
Cambodia International Film Festival 2025
Aspen Shortsfest 2025, USA
Miami Film Festival 2025, USA
​Portland Panorama 2025, USA
San Francisco International Film Festival 2025, USA
​Lovers Film Festival 2025, Italy
OUTshine Film Festival 2025, USA
Queer East Festival 2025, UK
Milwaukee Film Festival 2025, USA
Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival 2025, USA
Golden Harvest Film Festival 2025, Taiwan
CAAMFest 2025, USA
Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2025, Japan
Vienna Shorts 2025, Austria
​Leiden Shorts 2025, Netherlands
​Kashish Pride Film Festival 2025, India
​Queer West Film Festival 2025, USA
Provincetown International Film Festival 2025, USA -Best Queer Short​ Award
​​Rooftop Films 2025, USA
Out Film - Connecticut LGBTQ Film Festival 2025, USA
​Frameline - The San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival 2025, USA
​​Raindance Film Festival 2025, UK
​Nevada City Film Festival 2025, USA
​Palm Springs International ShortFest 2025, USA
​Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival 2025, South Korea
​​Durban International Film Festival 2025, South Africa
Aegean Film Festival 2025, Greece
​Indy Shorts International Film Festival 2025, USA
​DokuFest - International Documentary and Short Film Festival 2025, Kosovo​
​Asian American International Film Festival 2025, USA
​​HollyShorts Film Festival 2025, USA
​CinemaQ Film Festival 2025, USA - Audience Award 
​Curta Kinoforum - São Paulo International Short Film Festival 2025, Brazil
​Narrows Film Festival 2025, USA
ANONIMUL International Independent Film Festival 2025, Romania
​Concorto Film Festival 2025, Italy
​Golden Grape International Short Film Festival 2025, Georgia
Long Beach QFilm Festival 2025, USA
Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2025, Canada
Cambodia Town Film Festival 2025, USA - Best Short​ Film Award
​Macao International Shorts Film Festival 2025
​​Nashville Film Festival 2025, USA
​Helsinki International Film Festival 2025, Finland
​​Oslo/Fusion International Film Festival 2025, Norway
​​Wiz-Art - ​Lviv International Film Festival 2025, Ukraine
​Sheboygan Film Festival 2025, USA
​Filmfest Sundsvall 2025, Sweden
Sedicicorto International Film Festival, Italy
​Santa Cruz Film Festival 2025, USA
TiSFF - Thessaloniki International Short Film Festival 2025, Greece
​Out Here Dayton Film Fest 2025, USA
NewFest: The New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival 2025, USA
Leiden International Film Festival 2025, Netherlands
Way OUT West Film Fest 2025, USA
​Linz International Short Film Festival 2025, Austria
​​Bangkok International Film Festival​ 2025, Thailand - Special Mention, Audience Award 
Rehoboth Beach PRIDE Film Festival 2025, USA
​International Short Film Festival of Cyprus 2025
Hawai‘i International Film Festival 2025
Ridgway Independent Film Fest 2025, USA
​SeaShorts Film Festival 2025, ​Malaysia
Semana del Cortometraje de Madrid 2025, Spain
​Philadelphia Film Festival 2025, USA
​Uppsala Short Film Festival 2025,  Sweden
Chaktomuk Short Film Festival 2025, Cambodia - Best Cambodian Short Film Award
Chilliwack Independent Film Festival 2025, Canada
​Vermont International Film Festival 2025, USA
​Seoul International Extreme-Short Image & Film Festival 2025, South Korea
​Leeds International Film Festival 2025, UK
​Magma - Mostra di cinema breve 2025, Italy
​San Diego Asian Film Festival 2025, USA
​Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival 2025, USA -Best Student Short Award
Mezipatra Queer Film Festival 2025, Czech Republic
OutfestNEXT 2025, USA
QCinema International Film Festival 2025, Philippines​
​Oulu International Children's and Youth Film Festival 2025, Finland
Three Rivers Film Festival 2025, USA
Slovak Queer Film Festival 2025
​Singapore International Film Festival 2025
​​Ale Kino Festival 2025, Poland
​​Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival 2025, Indonesia
​Fresh Wave International Short Film Festival 2025, Hong Kong
Queerfilmfestival Weimar 2025, Germany
Pramana Asian Film Festival 2025, Italy
​​Festival International du Court Métrage de Clermont-Ferrand 2026, France
​​Smita Patil International Film Festival 2026, India
​Vilnius Short Film Festival 2026, Lithuania 
​​Queer Film Festival Kathmandu 2026, Nepal
​
Director's Statement
My Grandma Nai was often irritated.
She scolded anyone who ever did anything frivolous or annoying. So when it came to her grandchildren, Grandma Nai played favorites, and I was hers. Growing up, I knew
I wasn’t like most boys, so I clung tightly to Grandma Nai because, by her side, I was protected.
Having lost her at a young age, Grandma Nai has become my personification of hope. In moments of loneliness, I often speak to her and wonder if she could hear the secrets and stories I share.
Then one day, I imagined a world in which she could. I imagined her presence living at the tomb we built for her. And next to her was a neighboring grandma ghost with whom she could confide and laugh.
​Out of these imaginations, the character of Grandma Nai was born—in her spirit, I want to showcase what unconditional love for queer folks could look like.

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