Chinese Indie Film Dear You Heads to UK and Europe After Blockbuster Success

TLDR: Dear You, the Teochew-language family drama that has become one of China’s biggest surprise hits, is preparing for its international rollout. Distributor Trinity CineAsia has acquired the film’s rights for the United Kingdom, Ireland, and France, with releases set to begin in British and Irish cinemas on Jun 26 before expanding to France.

From USD2 Million to USD250 Million

Released in China on Apr 30 with minimal marketing support, Dear You was produced on a budget of approximately USD2 million. The cast is made up largely of non-professional actors from the Chaoshan region, including a 20-year-old finance student making his acting debut in the lead role.

Just six weeks after release, the film had earned roughly USD250 million at the Chinese box office, generating more than 120 times its production budget. It currently ranks as the second-highest-grossing film in China this year, behind only Han Han’s Lunar New Year hit Pegasus 3.

The film’s success has provided a significant boost to China’s theatrical market, which has otherwise been experiencing a year-on-year decline.

Check out other amazing Chinese movie titles at TGV Cinemas!

Continuous Success of Dear You

Dear You continues to perform strongly at the box office. On its 44th day in release, the film reportedly earned more than double the opening-day revenue of Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day.

Ticketing platform Maoyan now projects a final domestic total exceeding USD266 million.

Much of the film’s success has been driven by exceptional word of mouth. It currently holds a 9.2 rating on Douban from more than 700,000 users, making it one of the highest-rated Chinese releases of the past decade.

The Story Behind the Film

Director and co-writer Lan Hongchun spent three years interviewing more than 120 elderly residents from the Chaoshan region while developing the screenplay. The story follows a debt-ridden grandson who travels to Thailand in search of his supposedly wealthy grandfather, who left during wartime and never returned.

As his journey unfolds, he discovers that his grandfather has long since passed away and that the letters his grandmother treasured for years were actually written by a stranger. The emotional story explores themes of family, migration, sacrifice, and identity.

Set in eastern Guangdong province, the film highlights the history of Teochew-speaking communities whose members migrated throughout Southeast Asia during the 19th and 20th centuries. Thai actress Usha Seamkhum, known for her role in How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, makes a special appearance that celebrates her own Teochew-Thai heritage.

International Expansion for Dear You

Trinity CineAsia’s managing director Cedric Behrel described Dear You as one of the most remarkable Chinese box office success stories in recent years.

He noted that the film offers audiences around the world an opportunity to connect with stories of heritage, identity, and migration that resonate across generations.

The film begins its wider international rollout on Jun 18 across Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, and Malaysia, shown in TGV Cinemas