Céline Roustan
Grandma knows best is a common saying for a reason! Grandmothers often tend to see and understand things that parents sometimes don’t pick up on. This is exactly what happens to Meng, a queer 29-year-old who is pressured by his family to marry a woman from a “good” family – unless his Grandma Nai can intervene. Well, her ghost can. With Grandma Nai Who Played Favorites, writer/director Chheangkea crafts a beautiful, tender, and sensitive dramedy centred on a Cambodian family caught between tradition and societal expectations.
“Growing up, I knew I wasn’t like most boys”
Chheangkea confessed that he was one of his grandmother’s favourites. “My Grandma Nai was often irritated. She scolded anyone who ever did anything frivolous or annoying in front of her,” he shared. “Growing up, I knew I wasn’t like most boys, so I clung tightly to her because by her side, I was protected.” Since her passing, he explained that she has become a “personification of hope – a figure I could talk to in moments of loneliness,” which eventually led him to imagine her listening to him, becoming a ghost confident living where they laid her to rest. “And next to her was a neighbouring grandma ghost with whom she could confide and laugh,” he shared when discussing how he created the characters of Grandma Nai and Grandma Muy.
Family gatherings have always provided a great canvas for exploring dynamics, expectations, and desires that challenge them. Having the two Grandmas as observers and commentators adds a wonderfully wholesome layer of humour to the narrative while giving the film an almost adventure-like quality that makes it deeply engaging. They become our guides through this specific situation, existing both within the heart of the family conflict and slightly outside of it. A queer person being forced into marriage is hardly a new concept, but Chheangkea’s narrative offers a fresh perspective – one rooted in love, acceptance, and support.
“A comedy drama that infuses surrealism, satire, and humor to tackle more serious and uncomfortable topics regarding queerness, conformity, and familial pressure” – writer/director Chheangkea
DP Shyan Tan immerses us in the film’s different scenes and locations with a striking cinematography that echoes the emotional stakes of the situations. The framing allows us to experience both Meng’s perspective and Grandma Nai’s unique viewpoint. Chheangkea, who also edited the film, finds the perfect balance between the different tones, enhancing both the comedic moments and the more emotional layers of the story.
The film relies heavily on the charisma of its grandmother duo. Their conversations, sharp observations and unfiltered opinions drive much of the narrative. Both non-actors, Saroeun Nay, in the titular role, is a scene-stealer, bringing undeniable on-screen charm and delivering each line with remarkable nuance. Phalla Im, who plays her companion Grandma Muy, makes the back and forth between them all the more delightful. Bonrotanak Rith, as Meng, provides the emotional core of the film with a touching performance full of both strength and vulnerability, allowing Chheangkea’s screenplay to be both poignant and fun.
Ahead of its online debut as a Vimeo Staff Pick, Grandma Nai Who Played Favorites took the festival circuit by storm. Following its premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it was awarded Best International Fiction, the film went on to screen at Rotterdam and Palm Springs ShortFest, among others. Chheangkea’s feature debut, Little Phnom Penh, will enter pre-production soon after receiving multiple grants and forms of support from organizations including the Sundance Institute, MunichFilmUp!, and Gotham Week.