Can Chinese sleeper hit Dear You conquer the US box office next?

China’s biggest box-office surprise this year – a Teochew-language family drama that became a hit in Southeast Asia – is finally coming to North American cinemas on September 4.Dear You, whose Chinese title translates as “Love Letters for Grandma”, has grossed nearly US$300 million in mainland China. Its North American release will test whether a Chinese film rooted in migration, family, and regional culture can find an audience beyond the Chinese-speaking diaspora.The seemingly non-political film also sparked debate over China’s cultural influence among overseas Chinese communities, raising questions about the role Chinese cinema can play in shaping perceptions of China overseas, and whether that cultural reach can translate into soft power.The film follows a debt-ridden grandson from the Teochew, or Chaoshan region of Guangdong Province, as he travels to Thailand to find the grandfather he believes abandoned his family, hoping the man behind years of “qiaopi” – letters sent by overseas Chinese migrants to their families, often accompanied by remittances – can help him repay his debts. He instead learns more about his family’s past and his grandparents’ relationship.Its distributors hope its near-universal themes will transcend language and cultural barriers even as others are sceptical.Dear You: how a low-budget Teochew film conquered the box officeBringing Dear You to the USDear You is being released by Well Go USA, a Texas-based, family-owned distributor focused on bringing Asian cinema to North American audiences. The film will open in 86 screens across 23 US states and two locations in Canada, including major metropolitan areas, a modest roll-out for an indie film but with more showings expected.