Film Club: Dear You

Director: Lan Hongchun
Cast: Li Sitong, Wang Yantong, Wu Shaoqing, Zheng Runqi, Usha Seamkhum
FILM INFO:119 minutes, China, 2026, Cert: 15A In Teochew dialect with Chinese and English subtitles
Runtime: 118 mins

Lan Hongchun’s Dear You is a tender and moving story of love, family, memory and the secrets that can endure across generations. Xiaowei travels from Chaoshan to Thailand in search of his supposedly wealthy grandfather, only to discover that his grandfather died many years ago. He then learns that the man who has been exchanging loving letters with his grandmother for decades was, in fact, a stranger.

As Xiaowei begins to uncover the truth, a long-buried story of love, sacrifice and separation emerges, connecting two families across borders and generations. Blending intimate family drama with a mystery rooted in the past, Dear You is a poignant reflection on the enduring power of love and the stories we inherit.

FILM INFO:119 minutes, China, 2026, Cert: 15A In Teochew dialect with Chinese and English subtitles

1940s, South China. Musheng emigrates to Thailand to avoid the Chinese civil war draft, leaving behind his young wife Shurouand their three children. Like many overseas Chinese workers, he initially sends letters and money home via a system known as Qiaopi. When Musheng’s letters eventually stop arriving, Shurou believes he has abandoned his homeland for a second family. Years later, an incredible truth emerges...A huge unexpected box-office hit in China, Dear You combines epic family drama with a rare exploration of South China’s migration history, and in particular qiaopi correspondence, now considered historical documents, and of such great cultural value that UNESCO added these documents to the Memory of the World Register in 2013. A fascinating, enjoyable crowd-pleaser.

The record-breaking sensation that became one of China’s highest rated films ever.

Trailer:

Festivals: New York Asian Film Festival 2026