On July 19, young filmmaker Lan Hongchun won the Best Director Award at the 2026 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) International Film Festival in Kyrgyzstan for his Teochew-dialect film Dear You.
The film, set against the backdrop of the "Qiaopi" (overseas Chinese remittance letters) culture, tells a deeply moving family story inspired by Lan's ancestors who migrated to Southeast Asia during the 1940s. The male lead, Musheng, is based on his grand-uncle, who toiled overseas for his entire life to support his family back home.
At the July 18 screening, the film drew a full house, with many audience members moved to tears and prolonged applause following the show. In his post-screening talk, Lan invited global filmmakers to visit his hometown, the Chaoshan region (comprising the cities of Shantou, Chaozhou, and Jieyang) in Guangdong, calling it "a place rich in traditional culture and delicious food."
This marks Lan's first international award and significant recognition for Chinese storytelling on the global stage.
Domestically, the film has grossed 1.994 billion yuan at the mainland box office, ranking second among all Chinese films released in 2026, with a 9.3 Douban score, the highest for a Chinese drama in recent years. Its overseas release has also been a success: it has grossed over US$ 2.07 million in Singapore and more than US$ 4.63 million in Malaysia, where it is the top Chinese-language film of 2026.
The film's overseas rollout continues, with multiple countries, including Belarus, inviting it for local distribution. From a regional Teochew dialect story to an international sensation, Dear You is proving the universal power of love, family, and loyalty.
Author | Jiang Chang
Photo | Nanfang Plus
