Full Breakdown
Singapore Signals Flexible Approach to Teochew Film Screenings Amid ‘Dear You’ Demand
6/23/2026, 12:21:30 PM
Teochew Demand Fuels Push for More ‘Dear You’ Screenings
The film ‘Dear You,’ directed by Lan Hongchun, opened in Singapore on 18 June. Its Teochew version sold out 4,800 tickets across eight Golden Village screenings, prompting eight additional shows (25-29 June) and a distributor request for up to 50 further Teochew screenings.
Policy Context and Key Actors
Singapore’s bilingual policy promotes Mandarin as the main language for Chinese Singaporeans while dialects remain cultural heritage. MDDI and IMDA regulate film exhibition; Clover Films, led by Lim Teck, distributes ‘Dear You’; Golden Village screens the film; director Lan Hongchun made it; filmmaker Eric Khoo and former presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian have weighed in.
Timeline of Screenings and Screening Figures
16 June: Teochew tickets sold out in two hours; 18-21 June: eight Golden Village screenings. 22 June: MDDI announced flexibility; IMDA added eight more showings and Clover Films requested 50 screenings. 25-29 June: eight sessions sold out within 1½ hours. Reported totals vary from 10 to 18; distributor seeks approval for 50 more.
Official Government Statements
MDDI said it is aware of public calls for more dialect film screenings and will keep a flexible stance, offering support for additional Teochew showings if the distributor applies. IMDA confirmed the Mandarin-dubbed version will be the release, while the original Teochew version will continue in festival screenings.
Criticism & Opposition
Filmmakers Eric Khoo and Jack Neo wrote a Straits Times Forum letter urging relaxation of the Mandarin-dubbed rule for dialect films. Workers’ Party MPs and former presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian also questioned whether Singapore’s language policy should evolve to meet audience demand for authentic dialect content.
Audience Reaction on the Ground
The eight-screening block and the subsequent eight sessions sold out within hours of ticket release, prompting the distributor to seek broader availability, including suburban venues beyond Golden Village VivoCity. The rapid sell-outs highlight strong public appetite for the Teochew version.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the total Teochew screenings—some cite eight, others ten, or up to 18; the request for showings is described as “up to 50” by Clover Films, while Golden Village frames it as “up to 50 more” sessions. No official decision has been announced.
What’s Next
IMDA’s pending decision on the 50-screening request will shape Singapore’s approach to dialect cinema. Golden Village plans to extend Teochew sessions to suburban locations pending approval.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We hear the calls for dialect films to be more freely screened in cinemas.” — Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI)
- “Mandarin continues to play an important unifying role among Chinese Singaporeans, while dialects remain a valued part of Singapore’s cultural heritage and identity,” — MDDI
- “From the outset, our intention has been to make Dear You in Teochew available as widely as possible in Singapore,” — Lim Teck, Managing Director, Clover Films
- “We remain open to facilitating and supporting further Teochew screenings should the distributor wish to apply for them, in response to audience interest.” — MDDI
