Chowmein Holiday wins Silver in A' Movie, Video and Animation Design Award

Lanhua Ma’s dark comedy short film Chowmein Holiday has won a Silver A' Design Award in the Movie, Video and Animation Design category. The recognition spotlights a film about two Asian American grandmothers on a California crime spree and highlights growing interest in stories centered on aging, cultural identity and underrepresented voices.

Why it matters: - The Silver A' Design Award puts Chowmein Holiday in an international competition that evaluates film and animation work for originality, craft and cultural relevance. - The win gives added visibility to a short film built around Asian American grandmothers, a group rarely centered in mainstream screen stories. - The recognition may help open more space for independent films that mix dark comedy with emotional depth.

What happened: - The A' Design Award named Chowmein Holiday by Lanhua Ma a Silver winner in the Movie, Video and Animation Design category. - The award was announced in Como, Italy, on Sept. 16, 2026. - Lanhua Ma directed the short live-action film and shaped its creative vision. - The project is described as a dark comedy short film reimagining Asian American grandmothers. - More information is available on the award page.

The details: - Chowmein Holiday follows two Asian American grandmothers, Li Ling and May, on a crime spree across California. - One character finds a new purpose in life during the journey. - The other hides a secret from her partner in crime. - The film balances absurd dark comedy with emotional depth. - The production used high-definition digital cinema technology. - It used advanced cinema cameras and professional-grade lenses to capture California landscapes. - Post-production included color grading and dynamic editing to support the film’s pacing. - The Silver A' Design Award category also evaluates originality, narrative clarity, visual aesthetics, sound design, character development, cinematography, editing, scriptwriting, cultural relevance, social message significance and audience engagement.

Between the lines: - The award highlights a broader industry push toward stories about aging, cultural identity and personal liberation. - The film’s recognition suggests juries are rewarding work that expands who gets portrayed as complex, funny and central on screen. - The win also adds momentum to a filmmaker already working across narrative and experimental forms.

What's next: - The award can help Chowmein Holiday reach festival programmers, distributors and audiences looking for distinctive independent cinema. - The recognition may support future projects from Lanhua Ma that continue challenging stereotypes in film. - The A' Design Award continues to accept entries from filmmakers, brands, agencies, companies and manufacturers across countries and industries.

The bottom line: - Chowmein Holiday’s Silver A' Design Award signals growing recognition for small films that pair formal craft with underrepresented stories.