The Teochew-language film Dear You (给阿嬷的情书—"A Love Letter to Ah Ma") has taken China by storm and is set for release in Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei on 18 June 2026, with screenings in other countries to follow.
As many of us eagerly await its arrival on the big screen, we may find ourselves wondering about the real-life letters that once travelled between overseas Teochew migrants and their families back home.
Learn all about these letters called Khieu-phue (僑批, "Qiaopi" in Mandarin)—literally "the sojourner's letter"—part family correspondence, part remittance, and a lifeline across the seas—in our new feature page: An Introduction to the Teochew Letters 潮州侨批简介.
In case you have not already heard, a Teochew-language film has been making waves in China in recent weeks, reportedly surpassing the 100 million yuan mark at the local box office. Here, we take a brief look at Dear You — Chinese title 給阿嬤的情書 (literally, “A Love Letter to Ah Ma”) — while reflecting on those at the heart of it: mothers, the pillars of our families.
