"Dear You", a film shot almost entirely in the Teochew dialect, has not only achieved remarkable box office success in China but has also reignited a passionate debate in Singapore about the nation's long-standing language policies.
The Film's Unprecedented Success
- The movie is filmed almost entirely in Teochew, a language from China's Chaoshan region that remains widely spoken among older Chinese communities in Southeast Asia.
- Upon its release in Singapore, the vast majority of screenings were dubbed into Mandarin, sparking significant public dismay.
A Swift Public Backlash & Government Response
- Initially, only eight special Teochew screenings were made available. Tickets for these reportedly sold out in under two hours.
- Public outcry prompted Singapore’s information ministry to issue a statement on Monday, acknowledging the overwhelming demand and promising a more flexible approach.
- An additional eight screenings (nearly 5,000 tickets) were released on Monday and sold out within two hours.
- By Thursday, 50 more Teochew screenings had been approved in response to continued public pressure.
The rapid sell-out of tickets—first in two hours, then again in two hours—underscores a deep, unmet demand for dialect content among Singaporean audiences.
The Political & Cultural Context
- The Singaporean government has long promoted Mandarin among Chinese Singaporeans, actively discouraging the use of other Chinese languages—often referred to as "dialects"—such as Teochew, Hokkien, Cantonese, and Hakka.
- This policy, originally implemented to unify the Chinese community, has led to a steep decline in the everyday usage of these dialects.
Grassroots Sentiment & Nostalgia
- Some Singaporeans have expressed plans to travel to neighboring Malaysia specifically to watch the film in its original Teochew language.
- For many locals, the film serves as a powerful nostalgic connection to their heritage, a sentiment that is driving the intense demand for undubbed screenings.
"Many locals view the film as a nostalgic connection to their heritage," a sentiment that challenges decades of official language policy.