Trinity CineAsia Secures European Distribution for ‘Dear You,’ China’s Low-Budget Box-Office Sensation

Released in China on 30 April 2026, the Teochew-language family drama *Dear You* was produced for roughly 14 million RMB (? US$2 million). Within six weeks it amassed a reported 1.69 billion RMB (? US$250 million) according to ticketing platform Maoyan, ranking second only to Han Han’s *Pegasus 3* among domestic releases in 2026. The film’s strong word-of-mouth performance has helped lift a Chinese box-office that was down about 40 percent year-on-year.

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Director and co-writer Lan Hongchun, a native of the Chaoshan region, spent three years interviewing more than 120 elderly residents, drawing the plot from their recollections. Filmed primarily in the Chaoshan cities of Shantou, Chaozhou and Jieyang, the cast consists largely of non-professional actors. Thai actress Usha Seamkhum (also credited as Taew Usha Seamkhum) makes a cameo, linking the film to the Teochew-Thai diaspora.

China Box Office Smash ‘Dear You’ Lands Summer UK Cinema Release Date

Trinity CineAsia acquired comprehensive theatrical rights for the United Kingdom, Ireland and France. The acquisition was negotiated with international sales agencies Hugoeast and Damai Entertainment (formerly Alibaba Pictures). Cedric Behrel serves as Trinity’s managing director. The rollout will begin on 18 June 2026 in Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei, followed by UK and Ireland releases on 26 June 2026 and a French opening shortly thereafter. North-American and Australian dates are pending.

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Cedric Behrel described *Dear You* as a film that “will reach the many Asian communities who have long awaited the opportunity to see their history and identity reflected on screen in such a meaningful way.” He added that the title represents “one of the most remarkable box-office success stories to emerge from China in recent years.” Lan Hongchun noted that the narrative was built on extensive oral histories collected from Chaoshan elders, emphasizing authenticity over studio-driven marketing. Maoyan’s real-time data projects a final domestic gross exceeding 1.8 billion RMB (? US$266 million).

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• “one of the most remarkable box-office success stories to emerge from China in recent years,” — Cedric Behrel, Managing Director, Trinity CineAsia

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• “the many Asian communities who have long awaited the opportunity to see their history and identity reflected on screen in such a meaningful way.” — Cedric Behrel, Managing Director, Trinity CineAsia

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• Production budget: 14 million RMB (? US$2 million)

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• Reported gross: 1.69 billion RMB (? US$250 million) per Maoyan; 1.667 billion RMB (? US$246 million) per a secondary source

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• Douban rating: 9.2/10 from over 700,000 users

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• Box-office rank: second highest-grossing Chinese film of 2026

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Sources differ on the exact domestic total, citing 1.69 billion RMB versus 1.667 billion RMB. Neither source provides detailed demographic breakdowns of the audience, and official release dates for North America and Australia remain unspecified.

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The film’s success demonstrates the commercial viability of low-budget, regionally focused storytelling and highlights the demand for representation of Teochew heritage among diaspora audiences. Its performance also contributes to a modest rebound in China’s overall box-office revenue.

China Box Office Smash ‘Dear You’ Lands Summer UK Cinema Release Date

• 30 Apr 2026: Chinese theatrical debut

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• 12-21 Jun 2026: Announcement at Shanghai International Film Festival

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• 18 Jun 2026: Rollout in Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei

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• 26 Jun 2026: UK and Ireland theatrical openings

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• Early Jul 2026: French release (exact date pending)

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Trinity CineAsia plans to finalize North-American and Australian release windows later in 2026, while monitoring the film’s reception among Asian diaspora communities and its potential for awards consideration.

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