Moviegoers take a selfie with a poster of Chinese box-office hit "Dear You" at a cinema in Los Angeles County, California, the United States, Sept. 3, 2026.(Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- The highly-anticipated Chinese box-office hit "Dear You" opened Friday in a limited theatrical release across North America.
Distributed by Well Go USA Entertainment, the Chinese word-of-mouth family drama film is screening with English and Chinese subtitles at more than 160 theaters in major North American cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Boston, Las Vegas, Houston, Toronto and Vancouver.
Shot mostly in the Chaoshan dialect spoken in part of south China's Guangdong Province, the film, known in Chinese as "Love Letters to Grandma," centers on remittance letters used by overseas Chinese to stay connected with their families back home. Through these letters, the characters uncover memories, love and the enduring bonds that tie families together in a simple yet deeply genuine narrative.
"Dear You" directed by Lan Hongchun, a Chaoshan-region filmmaker, features a cast led by first-time actors.
"We are so excited to finally share 'Dear You' with North American audiences. The response to the movie has already generated tremendous excitement, and we know audiences will connect deeply with this moving story of family, love and sacrifice," Doris Pfardrescher, president and CEO of Well Go USA Entertainment, told Xinhua.
On Thursday evening, many moviegoers leaving a Los Angeles cinema after a preview screening of the film had tears in their eyes. One of them, surnamed Lian, told reporters that his hometown is in China's Chaoshan region. He said the film is filled with "the tears of an era," adding that he had heard similar stories from his elders since childhood.
While resonating widely with overseas Chinese communities, the film also reflects the power behind the Chinese culture that has enabled it to be passed down from generation to generation, he said.
According to Maoyan, a Chinese movie-ticketing and film data platform, the film has grossed more than 2 billion yuan (about 298 million U.S. dollars) since its release in the Chinese mainland on April 30.
The film currently holds a rating of 9.7 out of 10 on Maoyan, based on reviews from more than 420,000 viewers. ■
A moviegoer poses for a photo with a poster of Chinese box-office hit "Dear You" at a cinema in Los Angeles County, California, the United States, Sept. 3, 2026.(Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)
