Dear You is a grounded family drama rooted in the real-world history of “qiaopi”, the remittance letters sent home by overseas Chinese labourers.
Directed by Lan Hongchun and spoken primarily in the Chaoshan dialect, the film follows Grandma Ye Shurou (Li Sitong), who has spent decades living a quiet life sustained by letters and money from her husband, who left for Southeast Asia during the 1940s.
When her grandson Xiaowei (Zheng Runqi) secretly travels to Thailand to track down his grandfather in a desperate bid to clear his own debts, he uncovers a shocking secret regarding the letters his grandmother has cherished for 18 years.
Moving fluidly between past and present timelines, Dear You is a patient, restrained, and emotionally resonant look at cross-generational secrets, migration history, and ultimate devotion.