Low-Budget Film 'Dear You' Shot in Chinese Dialect Achieves Global Success

Shot in the Teochew dialect of southern China and focusing on an immigration story, the low-budget film 'Dear You' is meeting audiences worldwide following its massive success at the Chinese box office. The production, which addresses the historical Chinese migration to Southeast Asia, is preparing to hit theaters in the US next month, following releases in Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, and Thailand.

From a Local Dialect to Global Box Office Success

Shot in the Teochew dialect spoken in the Shantou region of Guangdong province, 'Dear You' became the country's second highest-earning film of the year, despite a language barrier that required the vast majority of Chinese viewers to rely on subtitles. Having grossed approximately 269 million yuan ($40 million) at the Chinese box office as of August, the production achieved major success despite its low budget and unknown cast.

The History of Migration to Southeast Asia

Through the Teochew immigrant community in Bangkok, the film tells the story of people who left China to support their families. Bringing the centuries-old Chinese migration to Southeast Asia to the silver screen, the production succeeded in bringing this lesser-known history to wide audiences while overcoming official censorship processes.

The story begins with the journey of a young man searching for his grandfather, Deng Musheng, who went to Thailand to pay off his debts and never returned. Director Lan Hongchun states that he brought this project to life inspired by real migration stories he heard from his grandmother.

Cultural Diplomacy and Official Support

The film's international success is also supported by the Chinese government's cultural export and soft power strategies. While China's Ambassador to Thailand, Zhang Jiangwei, stated that the film is an excellent medium for conveying the sincere emotions of ordinary people, the Chinese Consul in Sydney emphasized that the production reflects national virtues such as diligence and unity.

The Emotional Bond of Immigrant Families

The film centers on remittance letters called 'qiaopi,' which immigrants used to send money and news back to their hometowns. Viewers like Thitikorn Phanprayoon, a third-generation Chinese-descendant living in Thailand, and 74-year-old Sathien Tuntipaiboontana, who witnessed these letter offices in his childhood, expressed that they found their own family histories in the film.