Chinese hit film 'Dear You' resonates with audience outside Mainland

The Chinese word-of-mouth sensation "Dear You" has been warmly received after its release in China's Hong Kong and Macao regions and Singapore, with audiences praising its emotional depth and cultural resonance.

The film opened on Thursday in Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

In Hong Kong, the film hit over 200 screenings, and many shows were quickly sold out shortly after tickets went on sale. In Macao, the film is screening across all seven major commercial cinemas, with more than 30 showings on the opening day.

"The sense of devotion to one's country and family expressed in this film is truly touching. I watched it twice, and both times I ended up in tears," said Wu Ting-yuk, Chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Chiu Chow Community Organizations.

"I couldn't help but tear up several times during the movie. This movie is not only about local culture, but also embodies universal cultural values. That sense of duty and commitment that transcends mountains and seas truly moved me deeply. I will recommend it to all my family and friends," said Yang Yang, a moviegoer in Macao.

On Wednesday evening, the film held its premiere in Singapore, where around 1,000 invited audience members attended an advance screening.

The film had strong buzz before its Singapore release, with all eight Teochew-dialect screenings sold out within 90 minutes of pre-sales. Local distributors said the film is now showing in 24 of 26 local cinemas.

"It's really good. I cried from start to finish. I felt so relatable," said one Singaporean moviegoer.

"We Teochew people came all the way across the seas to get here. We always have that never-give-up spirit. I think we definitely need to let our Teochew people watch this movie," said Derek Goh Bak Heng, President of Singapore Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan.

The film has grossed more than 1.8 billion yuan (about 264 million U.S. dollars) at the domestic box office as of Friday, according to ticketing platform Maoyan.

Released on April 30, the low-budget, Teochew-dialect film featuring a largely unknown cast has emerged as one of China's biggest cinematic successes this year, gaining momentum through strong audience recommendations.

Chinese hit film 'Dear You' resonates with audience outside Mainland

Spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) Babar Baloch warned that millions of internally displaced persons remain unable to return home due to stalled peace efforts, urging stronger global support as the crisis threatens to affect everyone.

At the end of 2025, 68.7 million people remained internally displaced due to conflict and violence, a 7 percent decrease from the end of 2024, according to the latest Global Trends report published this month.

In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Baloch referred to two countries in severe situations -- Sudan, which remains the largest internal displacement globally with 9.1 million people still displaced at the end of 2025, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which faces severe humanitarian crisis amid both violence and the Ebola outbreak.

Baloch said many displaced people remain near their homes hoping for a quick return, but warned that ongoing conflict and stalled peace efforts often dash those expectations and leave lives in danger.

"The problem is, as this report showed us, that once you become displaced, then it's not easy for people to go back to their places of origin because there are no efforts to bring back peace, or the efforts which continue, they don't bring results. And also if people stay closer to homes, and if there's a conflict, and if there are reasons that they may not become safe, so, also, their lives are in danger," he said.

With few solutions in sight, Baloch warned that the plight of internally displaced persons must become a global concern, as new conflicts continue to erupt and leave millions at risk.

"The trends are consistent in a way that there are not many solutions to be found for these displaced population. And then we see more and new theaters of war and conflict, or opening up. In terms of people when they become displaced, we are telling the world that you need to take care. It should be of everyone's concern because it affects all of us, all around the world alike," he said.

UNHCR warns global displacement crisis puts lives at risk