How a Chinese indie film conquered the box office

一部中国独立电影如何逆袭票房

Made on a shoestring budget, the hit Teochew film Dear You has triggered a surge of interest from the Chinese diaspora and those wishing to reconcile with regional cultures.

这部大热潮汕影片《给阿嬷的情书》制作成本极低，不仅引爆海外华人的观影热潮，也让无数人开始主动亲近、接纳本土地域文化。

以下是各国网友的评论：

otottooto
It’s refreshing to see indie movies all across the world making a comeback.

如今全球独立电影再度迎来热潮，实在让人眼前一亮。

 

kai-dp3cg
more people have been craving new fresh stories rather than the trend of reviving old hits and doing a spin off. at least for me thats my perception

现在观众都想看全新原创剧情，早就腻味翻拍经典、拍衍生番外的套路，反正我是这么感受的。

 

Comment4fun
My eyes getting watery from seeing other people wipe their eyes

身边观众一个个抹眼泪，看得我眼眶也跟着湿润了。

 

candaceshirley8173
This movie is so original and like A24 is making people want to see original not the usual garbage films of Hollywood

这部电影故事完全原创，就像A24出品的佳作一样，让大家更偏爱原创影片，而非好莱坞流水线式的烂片。

 

thai33oz
As a Vietnamese person with parents who are teochew, I wonder if I can get a hold of this movie and show it to my parents. My dad left his mother back in Vietnam when we immigrated to the US in 1993. He couldn't go back to visit until 2008. She passed away around 2005. And back then there was no such thing as FaceTime or video chat. So he never got to see her again. I always feel sad whenever I'm reminded of that thought.

我是越南人，父母都是潮汕裔，很想带父母一起看这部电影。1993年我们全家移民美国，父亲把母亲留在越南老家。他直到2008年才有机会返乡，可奶奶早在2005年就过世了。那时候没有任何视频通话工具，父亲从此再也没能见到母亲。每次想起这件事，我心里都无比难受。

 

LaraFernandez-e1n
That's heartbreaking

这段经历实在令人心碎。

 

bronzedisease
Wait for couple months then it will be available on Chinese steaming service. Usually they also have some sort of channel on YouTube you should be able to find it then

再等几个月，中国视频平台就会上线该片。一般油管也会有相关官方频道，到时候就能搜到。

 

singhachang7630
Very touching movie Chinese migrants suffered extreme hardship in the old days, worked hard to earn a living in their adoptive country and also support the family they left behind in China Yet quite a number of the migrants never had the chance to reunite with their families in China Certainly have profound respect for them yet feel sad for their suffering

影片十分催泪。早年远赴海外的华人移民受尽磨难，在异国辛苦打拼谋生，还要补贴留在国内的亲人。可很多人到最后都没能和故土家人团圆。我由衷敬佩这群先辈，也为他们的坎坷遭遇感到心酸。

 

chrisathian5450
my grand father come to Indonesia from China to find his father, who left the family to find fortune in other country.

我爷爷当年从中国远赴印尼，只为寻找早年离家出海谋生的父亲。

 

Koala-jj7go
They just had two wives

很多人在两边各娶了一位妻子。

zizi1005
@Koala-jj7go That is true. I am wondering why those stories don't get made into movies. Many stories of Chinese men having a British wife in Britain and then a wife in China. Also those stories of Chinese men having Jamaican wife in Jamaice and wife in China. Those we will never see in movies.

确实有这种情况。我很好奇为什么没人把这类故事拍成电影。不少华人男性在英国成家，国内还有原配；也有人在牙买加娶妻，老家同样有家人，这类故事从来不会出现在荧幕上。

 

lucinae8512
I'm not Chinese, but I come from an immigrant family and I think this film is a great way to show both how hard life is for those who go to other countries for better opportunities, and to send remittances to support their families back home.

我不是华人，但我出身移民家庭。这部电影很好地展现了海外打拼者的艰辛，他们远赴异国寻求出路，还要定期寄钱赡养家乡亲人。

 

godzillamothra5983
My maternal grandpa and grandma were teochew people who migrated to Indonesia in early 20th century, I wish they could watch this movie

我的外公外婆都是潮汕人，20世纪初移民印尼，真希望他们能看到这部电影。

 

beatpirate8
Yes ! When i visited thailand n singapore i heard teochew my fathers dialect. I wish he taught me.

没错！我去泰国、新加坡旅行时，听到了父亲的母语潮汕话，真后悔当初没让父亲教我。

 

xucai8408
u can study from now on

现在开始学也来得及。

 

kuatkongket8893
Teochew in Singapore is mixed with Fujianese. Teochew in South East Asia is NOT pure Chaozhou language. Similarly in Malaysia, Teochew in Penang cannot understand the Teochew in Singapore.

新加坡的潮汕话混杂了闽南语，东南亚各地的潮汕话都不算纯正潮州口音。马来西亚槟城的潮汕人，甚至听不懂新加坡的潮汕方言。

 

MessyAmateurGardener
my parents are in their 80s, came to uk as NHS health nurses. My Dad is also Chiu Chow...i want to watch this with them. there will be many tears. they had such hard ships in the uk when they came, hardly a word of English in a foreign land, no mobile phones

我父母已经八十多岁，当年以医护人员身份来到英国国立医疗体系工作。我父亲也是潮汕人，我想陪二老一起看这部片子，肯定会哭很久。他们刚到英国时日子很苦，一句英语都不会说，身边也没有手机联络家人。

 

Sjalabais
Seeing people cry in the audience is incredibly moving. The wider aspirations of conveying a general, mutual human emotion and ambition, as well as showing a culture's plight, are commendable.

看着场内观众纷纷落泪，内心十分触动。影片不只是讲述地域文化的坎坷，更传递出全人类共通的情感与执念，这份立意值得称赞。

 

uprightphilosophy3708
i cried in the movie. it is so touching.

看电影的时候我哭了，故事实在太动人。

 

JamesKhoo-i5e
In South East Asia, when an ethnic Chinese passed away, it will be term as "Gone back to mainland China". But with the new generation, this may no longer be mentioned

在东南亚，老一辈华人离世，大家会说他“回唐山了”。但年轻一代已经很少提起这种说法。

 

WaynesWorldStudioVancouver
Wishing this movie comes to Vancouver Canada!

希望这部电影能引进加拿大温哥华上映！

 

beatpirate8
I never learned teochew . My grandma passes early in my life. I cant wait to watch this. I speak cantonese and a little mandarin. Teochew is so unique and different . Thank you!

我从来没学过潮汕话，奶奶很早就走了。我特别想看这部片子，我只会粤语和一点普通话，潮汕方言独特又有韵味，感谢拍出这部电影。

 

MessyAmateurGardener
I speak cantonese at home with my parents. Though English is my first language. My dad is chiu chow. i will try find this movie for us all to watch

我日常在家和父母说粤语，英语才是我的第一语言。父亲是潮汕人，我打算找到这部电影，全家一起观看。

 

zerogamer3380
My mum who's teochew, and have never been to the cinemas in the last 40 years, went to watch this one.

我母亲是潮汕人，整整四十年没踏进过电影院，这次特意去看了这部电影。

 

MsPengsang
My grandparents are from Fukien China. My grandma never had the opportunity to return to her hometown.

我的祖父母祖籍福建，奶奶一辈子都没能回到故乡。

 

Ayanami00
When indie contents and stories are so much better than huge corperation's propaganda or profit prioritized contents is refreshing

比起大公司只为盈利、充满套路的流水线作品，独立影片的故事真诚动人，让人眼前一亮。

 

Keoponloeu
Glad to see my dialect making a comeback

很开心看到我们的方言重新出现在大荧幕。

 

edyhiun9468
I'm hakka but can said teochew because I learned from my friend in senior high school

我是客家人，但高中跟着朋友学会了潮汕话。

 

MessyAmateurGardener
amazing u learned from a friend.

能靠朋友学会一门方言，太厉害了。

edyhiun9468
@MessyAmateurGardener yess because it more easy for me to learn teochew than they learned hakka. I have a strong will to learn teochew too

 没错，对我来说潮汕话比客家话更好学，我也一直很愿意学好潮汕方言。

 

limlianhui9462
I do have letters from relatives back in China, from my Hainanese side and my Hokkien (Fujian) side, they would be given the address of the nearest temple and write to us a few times, ho for reunion once we had made enough money to travel back to our ancestral provinces. It is quite the story of resilience and survival and very touching to see, presented like this. Will definitely try to watch it soon.

家里还留存着中国亲人寄来的信件，有海南裔和福建裔亲戚写的。当年他们只能把信件寄到就近庙宇转交，多次书信往来，盼着我们在外赚够钱，就能回乡团聚。影片把先辈坚韧求生的故事展现得淋漓尽致，格外感人，我一定要尽快去看。

 

v23v
FYI Indonesia is home to the world's largest population of overseas Chinese. I wonder why no one brings the movie here? It will be a huge success

跟大家说一下，印尼是全球海外华人最多的国家，不明白为什么没人引进这部电影，在这里上映肯定会大受欢迎。

 

BigDanny-yu6mw
I really want to see this remarkable beautiful film.

我特别想看这部口碑绝佳、温情满满的电影。

 

samartz
teochew moved to thailand, now australia! cant wait ti watch it

潮汕先辈当年奔赴泰国，如今我们定居澳大利亚，迫不及待想看这部电影。

 

CalB-j6o
Wow and just as I finished watching this movie

太巧了，我刚看完这部电影。

 

Razekay
Well, I suppose I have to see this now

听大家这么一说，我必须去看一看。

 

WoonHeng
truly amazing, and touching, and deeply connected! I'm Teochew too

影片拍得极好，满是温情，特别能共情，我也是潮汕人。

 

kaihang4685
This video makes me miss my own Teochew grandma. She survived WWII, jumped the border into British Hong Kong and raised mum, then myself. Unfortunately we had to part ways 19 years ago due to health reasons (she refused to come with us). She has still yet to give up after 18-19 years of fighting Alzheimer's. If only I had a tenth of her strength...

看完格外想念我的潮汕奶奶。她熬过二战，辗转偷渡到香港，一手拉扯大我母亲，再把我带大。十九年前因为身体原因，我们被迫分开，她不愿意随我们迁居。这近二十年来，她一直和阿尔茨海默病抗争，从未消沉。我要是能有她十分之一的坚韧就好了。

 

a1142730
A very humble touching and warm story really touching the soul of Chinese people. Will watch again

故事朴实温柔，直击华人内心深处，我愿意二刷。

 

mommychoice76
I love this just be listing to a language I didn't even understand it's great vibes

虽然听不懂片中方言，但光是听着语调就觉得格外温暖。

 

SanjayMathur-vo7of
What a beautiful story! Thank you to all involved.

故事太美好了！感谢所有参与影片制作的工作人员。

 

igeryan1378
That kid patting his mom~ so warm and so cute

片中小孩轻轻拍着妈妈的画面，温馨又可爱。

 

dunzhen
Yes, remembering your roots and having pride in them, a healthy type of pride is the best! Also, what a cutie...

不忘故土、心怀文化自信，这份纯粹的归属感最为珍贵。小朋友也实在讨人喜欢。

 

Hkchinese888
Even Lee Kuan Yew never visited his ancestral hometown in China during his lifetime

就连李光耀，一生都未曾回到中国祖籍老家。

 

DragonNo1
How trying to uniform cultures for convenience and more efficient control deprives humanity of those human aspects that can't be quantified in numbers and can't be translated into other languages. I'm glad to learn that Singapore finally allowed showing the original film.

为了便于管控而强行统一文化，会丢掉那些无法用数据衡量、无法翻译的人间温情。很高兴新加坡最终引进了完整原版影片。

 

artieoms
What comes from the heart. Goes to the heart. What a great uplifting story about things that matter most - family and our sense of belonging. Perfectly captured by this indie film

真心之作，方能打动人心。这部独立电影完美诠释了人生最重要的两样东西：亲情与归属感，看完内心满是治愈。

 

joyhana3542
I saw this film with my partner. It was a darling surprise. It reminded me of the flight that people of that generation, of my parents' generation, had to go through. Lots of Asians experience similar displacements and migration. I have such admiration for them, they are responsible for the comfort a lot of us feels now

我和伴侣一起观看，收获了意外的感动。影片重现了父母那一代移民颠沛流离的人生，很多亚洲移民都有着相似漂泊经历。我由衷敬佩先辈，是他们的打拼换来了我们如今安稳的生活。

 

kasvinimuniandy4178
I cried in the cinema. What a touching story. Meaningful bonds between the diaspora.

坐在影院里我哭了，故事格外动人，道尽海外华人割舍不断的故土羁绊。

 

clarke6814
This is what art should be about

这才是影视作品该有的模样。

 

zexn85
Too bad Singapore's minister dont have time to watch

可惜新加坡的官员没有时间观看这部电影。

 

leahcalomarde145
Im from PH, and our chinese lineage dates back from a chinese immigrant named Pio Guo in the 1800s. Im interested to watch

我来自菲律宾，家族华人血脉可以追溯到19世纪一位叫郭皮奥的移民，我很想去看这部电影。

 

maccheese8379
all chinese overseas always have china as their motherland. it is blood relation deeper than politics or nationalities

所有海外华人心中，中国永远是故土，这份血脉羁绊超越国籍与政治。

 

PChan-yt4uf
Yeah, and in millions of homes, when grandmas and grandpas told their stories, didn't many of you just shush them and said you were not interested in all their old stories?

是啊，无数家庭里，爷爷奶奶说起过往往事时，很多年轻人都不耐烦打断，完全不想听那些旧时光。

 

WillWellWhale-o7z
I saw the movie in theatre, it's amazing film, I definitely recommend ppl to go and watch it

我已经去影院看完了，影片质量极高，强烈推荐大家观看。

 

AustinMatsabisa
looks like a beautiful movie hope to sea it chinese movies are always beautiful

画面看起来很治愈，希望能早日看到，中国国产影片总能拍出动人的故事。

 

Koala-jj7go
Even the clothing doesn't match the time period of the film

就连片中服饰都不符合故事对应的年代。

 

CodeMeat
Travel far beyond, but never forget your roots.

纵行万里，莫忘来路。

 

beltonbraces-i7e
This looks wonderful. I hope it gets a UK release. A beuatiful family story performed with sincerity and delivered with a simple honesty and warms the heart.

影片观感极佳，希望能引进英国上映。质朴真诚的家庭故事，温柔治愈人心。

 

picanha694
There are so many teochew speakers though so its not exactly isolated

全球会说潮汕话的人数量庞大，这种方言文化并没有断层。

 

xueueux
Here in Indonesia, my mom is waiting it to be aired. Hopefully, it will be aired here and use Teochew language.
I had never seen the elders in my family are hyped to watch this movie.
They are Teochew descendant. My grandpa from my mom's side has kinda similar story. He left his first wives and 2 children in China.

我身在印尼，母亲一直等着这部电影上线。希望当地能引进完整潮汕语版本。家里长辈从来没有对哪部电影如此期待过，我们都是潮汕后裔。外公当年在国内留下原配妻子和两个孩子，独自远赴海外。

 

josepheapen7690
Is happening everywhere .. even in Hollywood obsessions and back rooms seem to be leading the box office.

这种追求真实本土故事的风潮正在全球兴起，就连好莱坞也不再只靠幕后资本操控票房。

 

eric6576l
All migrant workers can relate to this movie.

所有背井离乡在外打拼的人，都能在这部电影里看见自己。

 

MoMoMoMo-kr9lp
Hi, hope this movie will arrive in foreign countries too outside of Asia like the Korean movie "Paraside" did.

希望这部电影能像韩国电影《寄生虫》一样，走出亚洲，在全球多国上映。

 

Roxass00
finally something that is not AI coming from china

终于有一部不依靠AI流水线制作的国产诚意影片。

 

KL-xv5gj
Absorb the positive energy, virtues and humanity from this great movie. Preserve the politeness, respect and public manners within and outside the same cultures, and getting into less flights and trivial arguments on planes and public transportation, making the culture shine and even more and more respectable worldwide. Build unity and cohesiveness by not sweating the small stuff. Think bigger and wider like what this movie preaches: have a big heart and soul.

从这部好电影里汲取正向力量、传统美德与人道温情。传承谦和有礼的文化底蕴，减少公共场合无谓争执，让中华文化在世界收获更多尊重。凡事宽心不计较小事，凝聚人心，如同影片传递的内核：心怀宽广，包容温柔。

 

rebeltheharem7028
Indie movies, just like indie games, are the only way forward for great artistic media.

独立电影和独立游戏一样，是影视艺术长远发展的必经之路。