China's 2026 total box office revenue has surpassed 15 billion yuan (about 2.21 billion U.S. dollars) as of Saturday, according to latest data released by online platforms.
Fueling this growth is the low-budget, Chaoshan-dialect film "Dear You," which has generated significant word-of-mouth buzz. The film has raked in over 880 million yuan in ticket sales as of Saturday, securing a spot among the year's top five highest-grossing releases.
On a China's review platform, the drama currently holds a rating of 9.1 out of 10, making it one of the highest-rated Chinese films in recent years and among the best-reviewed domestic releases of the past decade.
The story draws on the history of "qiaopi," the letters and remittances sent home by earlier generations of overseas Chinese. The historical significance of these letters gained international attention when UNESCO added the "qiaopi" archives to its Memory of the World Register in 2013.
The film follows two women whose lives become quietly intertwined through 18 years of correspondence and care after the husband of one of them dies while working overseas, exploring themes of women's solidarity, emotional responsibility, and attachment to family, homeland and cultural roots.
Beyond its impressive box office performance, "Dear You" has also ignited a surge of interest in the filming locations featured in the movie.
The production was shot across multiple cities in south China’s Guangdong Province, including Shantou, Chaozhou and Jieyang, showcasing a series of iconic Chaoshan landmarks. While faithfully restoring the region's natural and cultural landscapes, the film also presents a vivid portrait of the daily life and local customs of Chaoshan people.
Leveraging the film's popularity, Shantou city has launched an immersive cultural experience that combines "qiaopi" culture exploration, film location tours and Chaoshan intangible cultural heritage experiences. Numerous movie fans have traveled to the area to experience the emotional atmosphere of the film, visit the same scenic spots and sample the local delicacies shown on screen.
China's 2026 box office tops 15 bln yuan, driven by grassroots cultural legacy film
