SINGAPORE: Singapore authorities will take a more “flexible approach” in considering applications for the screenings of dialect films in cinemas and remain open to further Teochew screenings of Dear You if the distributor applies, the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) said on Monday (Jun 22).
It comes amid public debate over the place of Chinese dialects in Singapore as the release of Dear You has drawn attention not only for its box-office success but also for its use of Teochew.
While the government maintains its longstanding policy to promote Mandarin as one of the country’s four official languages, the film has sparked wider discussion about dialect use and cultural identity.
“We hear the calls for dialect films to be more freely screened in cinemas. Under the current framework, applications have to be made for such screenings. However, the Infocomm Media Development Authority will take a more flexible approach in considering these applications,” the ministry said in a media statement.
FILM DISTRIBUTOR APPLIES FOR 50 MORE SCREENINGS
After dominating the box office in China, Dear You opened in Singapore cinemas on Jun 18.
An initial eight screenings in Teochew were fully booked at Golden Village, prompting the cinema chain to add eight more screenings from Jun 25 to 29.
All 4,800 tickets were sold out on Monday, about an hour after they were made available, Golden Village said in response to CNA’s queries.
Clover Films, the film’s distributor, said it submitted its third request to IMDA after MDDI’s statement, seeking approval for up to 50 screenings of Dear You in Teochew over the coming weeks.
“From the outset, our intention has been to make Dear You in Teochew available as widely as possible in Singapore,” said Mr Lim Teck, managing director of Clover Films.
Similar to previous screenings, the upcoming Teochew screenings will be held at the Golden Village VivoCity.
“We hope to extend these screenings beyond Golden Village VivoCity and make them accessible to audiences across suburban locations as well,” said Mr Lim.
“We look forward to continuing our collaboration with IMDA on the Teochew screenings, as well as on future titles, so that we can continue bringing quality films in their original languages to audiences in Singapore.”
Directed and co-written by Lan Hongchun, the movie follows two interconnected timelines – a grandson searching for his long-lost grandfather in present-day Thailand, and a newly married man who leaves China for Southeast Asia during the 1940s in search of work. The film has become one of China’s biggest box-office successes this year, grossing more than 1.7 billion yuan (USS$250 million).
IMDA previously confirmed that a Mandarin-dubbed version of the film will be screened commercially for the general public, with its original Teochew version screened at the premiere and also be available for subsequent festival and niche screenings.
MDDI said that, in the case of Dear You, IMDA has, in addition to the initial 10 screenings in Teochew in cinemas, recently supported eight more screenings.
“We remain open to facilitating and supporting further Teochew screenings should the distributor wish to apply for them, in response to audience interest.”