Quiet drama finds powerful audience

A low-budget Shenzhen-produced movie centered on qiaopi (overseas Chinese remittance letters) has earned widespread acclaim and emerged as one of the biggest surprise hits of the May Day holiday box-office season.

Dear You follows a series of letters tied to Ye Shurou, a grandmother who spent decades waiting for her husband, Zheng Musheng, while her grandson searches for the truth behind their family's past.

The journey gradually uncovers the hidden story of Xie Nanzhi, a Thai woman of Chaoshan, or Teochew, descent who was Zheng's sworn sister and trusted confidante.

After Zheng's death, Xie quietly cared for Ye Shurou from afar, secretly writing letters and sending money in his name for 18 years. Years later, Xie's adopted son, Xie Zehua, reads those letters aloud to Grandma Ye, revealing a long-buried story.

The film received a rating of 9.0 out of 10 on Douban, a major review platform — the highest among all new releases during the holiday — underscoring its broad audience appeal.

By Thursday, the movie had grossed about 227 million yuan ($33.5 million), with ticketing platforms Maoyan and Beacon projecting its final box office revenue could reach 725 million yuan.

Written and directed by Lan Hongchun, a native of eastern Guangdong's Chaoshan region, Dear You is deeply rooted in local culture and qiaopi history.

The story revolves around a Chaoshan grandmother who spends half a century waiting for letters. Through old correspondence, the younger generation retraces family memories and gradually uncovers the intertwined lives of two women shaped by endurance, sacrifice and longing.

Featuring authentic Chaoshan dialect throughout, the film weaves together local customs, family bonds and the historical experience of overseas Chinese communities.

Without relying on sensational plot twists or formulaic storytelling, Dear You adopts a restrained, lifelike narrative style, portraying the emotional weight carried by ordinary people during waves of migration of Cantonese people to Southeast Asia.