Teochew-language film 'Dear You' set for North American release after Chinese box office success
Quick Look
- The Teochew-language family drama 'Dear You', which grossed nearly US$300 million in mainland China, is releasing in North American cinemas on September 4, 2026, to test its appeal beyond Chinese-speaking audiences.
- Distributed by Well Go USA, the film explores migration and family history through the qiaopi letter tradition, sparking debate about China's cultural influence and soft power potential overseas.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The film 'Dear You' is a Teochew-language family drama that became a box office hit in mainland China and Southeast Asia, grossing nearly US$300 million in China. It follows a grandson's journey to Thailand to find his grandfather and uncover family history through the qiaopi tradition of overseas Chinese letters.
After grossing nearly US$300 million in mainland China, its North American release will test its popularity beyond Chinese-speaking diaspora
4 -MIN READ4 -MIN
Listen
Han Liin Washington, DC
Published: 5:29am, 1 Sep 2026Updated: 5:42am, 1 Sep 2026
China’s biggest box-office surprise this year – a Teochew-language family drama that became a hit in Southeast Asia – is finally coming to North American cinemas on September 4.
Dear You, whose Chinese title translates as “Love Letters for Grandma”, has grossed nearly US$300 million in mainland China. Its North American release will test whether a Chinese film rooted in migration, family, and regional culture can find an audience beyond the Chinese-speaking diaspora.
The seemingly non-political film also sparked debate over China’s cultural influence among overseas Chinese communities, raising questions about the role Chinese cinema can play in shaping perceptions of China overseas, and whether that cultural reach can translate into soft power.
The film follows a debt-ridden grandson from the Teochew, or Chaoshan region of Guangdong Province, as he travels to Thailand to find the grandfather he believes abandoned his family, hoping the man behind years of qiaopi – letters sent by overseas Chinese migrants to their families, often accompanied by remittances – can help him repay his debts. He instead learns more about his family’s past and his grandparents’ relationship.
Its distributors hope its near-universal themes will transcend language and cultural barriers even as others are sceptical.
03:44
Dear You: how a low-budget Teochew film conquered the box office
Bringing Dear You to the US
Dear You is being released by Well Go USA, a Texas-based, family-owned distributor focused on bringing Asian cinema to North American audiences.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The film will undergo evaluation of its audience reception in North American markets following its September 4 release.
Very likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- Will the film succeed with non-Chinese-speaking audiences in North America?
- How will overseas Chinese communities receive the film's portrayal of migration and family?
- Can the film's cultural resonance translate into measurable soft power for China?
