In “Dear You,” Xiaowei (Runqi Zheng) travels to Thailand in search of the grandfather he believes abandoned his family. Buried in debt, he hopes the wealthy man behind years of letters and remittances can help him. Instead, he discovers a long kept family secret: the person corresponding with his grandmother is not her husband.
Directed by Hongchun Lan, the film unfolds between China and Thailand, exploring migration, family, sacrifice and the stories passed from one generation to the next. Grounded in the history of the Chaoshan (Teochew) diaspora, the story captures the bittersweet reality of families separated by borders and time.
Hongchun’s use of the Teochew dialect pays off here. Language becomes more than a storytelling choice, but a link to cultural identity and ancestral roots. The film also gains considerable authenticity from its largely non-professional cast, many of whom were chosen for their fluency in the dialect. While I am usually not a fan of casting gimmicks like this, their performances feel raw and unpolished in a way that suits the story beautifully.
Hongchun keeps the film moving without relying on melodrama or spectacle, finding his film’s emotional power in small moments and the quiet sacrifices that shape family life. The film offers a moving reflection on migration and its long afterlife. It asks what happens when the sacrifices of one generation become the inheritance of the next, and how love can survive decades of distance, silence and misunderstanding.
Tender, intimate and deeply rooted in its cultural setting, “Dear You” is a heartfelt reminder that the stories holding a family together are not always the ones we know. This is a lovely little film from start to finish.
By: Louisa Moore
Screen Zealots 