Dear You, a Teochew-dialect film rooted in the heritage of qiaopi—the remittance letters sent home by overseas Chinese labourers—held its premiere in Singapore on June 17. The screening drew around 1,400 guests from political, business, cultural, and media circles in both China and Singapore.
For Singaporean Chinese Andrew Tan (Chen Zaicheng), the film was deeply personal. Having grown up hearing stories from his parents and grandparents, Tan—who traces his roots to Kim Sa Village in Guangdong's Chao'an District—said the film vividly brought those family memories to life.
"This reminds me of our past—grandparents and their parents who came from China, and this is the kind of life, their experience," he shared. "We feel very heartfelt to know that this is the kind of life they experienced."
Tan, who has visited his ancestral village, expressed concern that younger generations are losing touch with this history. He noted that the clan spirit of mutual support among fellow villagers—which sustained early migrants arriving in Singapore for the first time—still exists but is "gradually fading." He hopes the film will carry that message forward. "This movie will help to continue the message to the younger generation, we hope."
The film, directed by Lan Hongchun, will be released in 24 cinemas across Singapore from June 18.
Reporter: Guo Zedong
Video & cover: Deng Yingheng
