Singapore approves additional 50 screenings of Dear You in Teochew
The 50 screenings of Dear You in Teochew are in addition to the 22 screenings approved previously.
A still from a poster for the film Dear You. (Photo: Facebook/Clover Films)
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SINGAPORE: An additional 50 screenings of the film Dear You in Teochew have been approved, as authorities respond to strong audience demand and interest in dialect content.
In a joint media reply on Thursday (Jun 25), the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) said they recognise the “strong interest” in the film, noting that both its Teochew and Mandarin screenings have attracted wide audiences.
The newly approved screenings add to the 22 Teochew showings that had already been given the green light. Distributor Clover Films is working out the screening plans, which will be announced separately.
Of the earlier approvals, 18 Teochew screenings were granted to Clover Films, while another four were approved under a separate application by SPH Media Limited.
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The move comes amid public discussion over access to dialect films in Singapore, with Dear You forming a talking point in a broader conversation about language policy and cultural identity.
After dominating the box office in China, Dear You opened in Singapore cinemas on Jun 18.
Only a Mandarin-dubbed version received approval for commercial cinema release. The original Teochew-language version was limited to special niche screenings, sparking calls for more opportunities to watch dialect films on the big screen.
On Monday, MDDI said it remained open to facilitating and supporting additional Teochew-language screenings if the film’s distributor applied for them.
The ministry also said it would adopt a more “flexible approach” when considering future applications to screen dialect-language films in cinemas.
IMDA and MDDI reiterated on Thursday that Mandarin continues to play an important unifying role among Chinese Singaporeans, while dialects remain “a valued part of Singapore’s cultural heritage and identity”.
“We are encouraged by the growing interest in dialects, including among younger Singaporeans and hope that these additional Teochew screenings enable more audiences to enjoy the film,” they added.
Directed and co-written by Lan Hongchun, Dear You follows two interconnected timelines – a grandson searching for his long-lost grandfather in present-day Thailand, and a newly married man who leaves China for Southeast Asia during the 1940s in search of work. The film has become one of China’s biggest box-office successes this year, grossing more than 1.7 billion yuan (US$250 million).
Source: CNA/dy/zl(gs)
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