For 93-year-old Mdm Tan Gek Yong, watching Dear You will be more than a trip to the cinema; it will be a journey back through decades of family history. Born in Puning, China, Mdm Tan moved to Singapore with her parents as a young child before building a life here with her late husband, who was also Teochew. It has been four decades since she last watched a Teochew-language film on the big screen, making this month’s special screening an emotional homecoming of sorts.

She is among 100 seniors, caregivers and family members invited by The Ngee Ann Kongsi to experience Dear You in its original Teochew language. The tickets are part of a broader sponsorship of 900 cinema tickets for members of the organisation and fellow Teochew clan associations, in support of the expanding Teochew Cultural Movie Showcase.

The initiative reflects The Ngee Ann Kongsi’s long-standing commitment to preserving Teochew language and culture in Singapore while making the film accessible to those for whom the dialect carries the deepest meaning.

Among the invited guests is Mr Liew, who will accompany his wheelchair-bound mother-in-law to the screening alongside his wife. Having not visited a cinema in four years, the outing is expected to be a rare and meaningful family experience—one where three generations can share a story told in the language of their heritage.

As Dear You continues to draw strong audiences across Singapore, it has become more than a surprise box office success. The film has sparked conversations about dialects, family history and cultural identity, resonating with audiences who see echoes of their own family journeys reflected on screen.

Directed and co-written by Lan Hongchun, Dear You follows a man’s search for his grandfather while exploring themes of family, migration, identity and the enduring legacy of qiaopi—the historical letters and remittances sent home by overseas Chinese migrants to their loved ones. The film has grossed more than RMB1.8 billion in China and has found an equally heartfelt reception in Singapore through its original Teochew-language screenings.

The enthusiastic response has already prompted an expansion of the Teochew Cultural Movie Showcase, with additional screenings added across more cinemas to meet demand. Beyond commercial screenings, community sessions have also been organised to enable more seniors to experience the film in their mother tongue.

For The Ngee Ann Kongsi, supporting these screenings is part of a much longer story. “The Ngee Ann Kongsi has been actively preserving Teochew heritage in Singapore since its founding,” said Mr Chia Chor Meng, President of The Ngee Ann Kongsi.

“The movie showcases the kinship that connects our Teochew communities, both within Singapore and across Asia, and provides a look at the hardships that our ancestors went through to build their lives in Singapore. We are happy to support the enthusiastic reception of the movie, as it signals a growing interest among Singaporeans to learn and appreciate their cultural heritage.”

He added that Singaporeans can also look forward to the return of the Teochew Cultural Festival this October as part of the organisation’s continuing efforts to celebrate and preserve Teochew traditions.

Founded in the 1930s, The Ngee Ann Kongsi has long supported philanthropic initiatives across education, welfare and the arts. Its latest partnership with Dear You demonstrates how cultural storytelling can become a bridge between generations—creating opportunities for families to reconnect not only with one another, but also with the language, memories and heritage that have shaped their identities.

Sometimes, preserving culture doesn’t happen in museums or history books. Sometimes, it begins with sitting beside a parent or grandparent in a darkened cinema, hearing a familiar dialect fill the room once again.

DEAR YOU 《给阿嬷的情书》is playing in Singapore cinemas such as Golden Village. Teochew screenings will take place from 3rd to 26th July 2026.