{"id":2498,"date":"2026-06-19T10:06:54","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T10:06:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=2498"},"modified":"2026-06-19T10:06:54","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T10:06:54","slug":"dear-you-director-credits-overseas-chinese-letter-writing-tradition-for-sleeper-hits-emotional-power","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=2498","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Dear You\u2019 Director Credits Overseas Chinese Letter-Writing Tradition for Sleeper Hit\u2019s Emotional Power"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\tDirector Lan Hongchun took the stage at the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival to discuss how \u201cDear You,\u201d now one of China\u2019s most-talked-about films of the year, drew its emotional charge from qiaopi \u2013 the tradition of family letters and remittances exchanged between overseas Chinese communities and their relatives at home.<\/p>\n

Read more Pearl River Film Launches Studio With Author Guo Ni, Sets Eight-Franchise Slate<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\tThe film has earned more than $255 million at the Chinese box office since opening in May, and carries a 9.3 rating on Douban. Lan spoke during the \u201cCultural Roots, Localized Narratives, and Emotional Resonance in Contemporary Chinese Cinema\u201d forum at the festival.<\/p>\n

\n\tSet within the world of qiaopi correspondence, \u201cDear You\u201d traces themes of waiting, distance, and enduring affection across generations. Lan said the film\u2019s connection with audiences ran deeper than its plot.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWhat moved audiences was not only the story itself, but also the cultural memory carried by qiaopi and by generations of ordinary people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Read more Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group Chiefs Pam Abdy and Mike De Luca to Speak at Toronto Market Summit<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\tLan traced his instinct toward stories rooted in place and personal memory to his admiration for Taiwan filmmaker Hou Hsiao-hsien. \u201cHis films made me feel that stories from our own land, our own people and our own memories can also become cinema,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\n\tReflecting on his broader filmmaking practice, Lan said each production had sharpened his understanding of the form. \u201cEach film should show some progress,\u201d he said. \u201cFor me, the important thing is to keep learning and keep getting closer to people and the emotions I want to portray.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe director also acknowledged the support of Damai Entertainment, whose backing he credited with helping the film reach wider audiences following its word-of-mouth success. Xie Ying, vice president of Damai Entertainment, noted the company\u2019s relationship with Lan predated the film\u2019s release. \u201cWe first met Lan about five years ago,\u201d Xie said. \u201cThat relationship and trust have continued until today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Hayley Kiyoko\u2019s Feature Film \u2018Girls Like Girls\u2019 Took a Decade to Make. Now That It\u2019s Here, She Hopes It\u2019s Just the Beginning for Sapphic Media<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Director Lan Hongchun discusses how overseas Chinese correspondence shaped ‘Dear You,’ now past $255 million at the Mainland China box office.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1391,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[646,882],"class_list":["post-2498","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-film","tag-dear-you","tag-shanghai-international-film-festival-2"],"yoast_head":"\n\u2018Dear You\u2019 Director Credits Overseas Chinese Letter-Writing Tradition for Sleeper Hit\u2019s Emotional Power - Relocation Observer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=2498\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u2018Dear You\u2019 Director Credits Overseas Chinese Letter-Writing Tradition for Sleeper Hit\u2019s Emotional Power - 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