‘Dear You’ brings Filipino-Chinese stories to big screen in cultural exchange push

 
“I think it’s less of a Chinese wave. It’s more like, we’re starting to do a lot of cultural exchanges,” said Lim, president of Anvil Business Club and a member of the Media and Public Information office of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII).

The FFCCCII, which recently sponsored the visit of Chinese actress Zhang Yingfei, known as Linda Walker, is now championing advance screenings of the acclaimed film “Dear You,” ahead of its commercial release on August 12 in SM Cinemas nationwide.

Directed by Lan Hongchun, who won Best Director at the SCO International Film Festival, the film follows a young man tracing his family roots through historical qiaopi (overseas remittance and love letters) between China and Thailand.

“For me, it’s the start of a beautiful cultural exchange. Not more of a Chinese wave. It’s more of equal,” Lim said, adding that Filipino stories may soon find their own audiences abroad as the exchange deepens.

Lim admitted he has yet to watch the film, choosing to experience it during a group screening on Aug. 5. “I’m personally a fan of watching in cinemas versus on TV sets,” he said. “But I’ve read a lot about it. The movie really mirrors all of the hardships of the Chinese immigrants before.”

Those themes—migration, sacrifice, and long-distance family ties—are expected to resonate strongly with Filipino audiences, particularly given parallels with Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

“The way we make our films here in the Philippines is very emotional,” Lim said. “We really show the importance of family—respect for the parents, respect for the grandparents. It’s very close to home.”

He noted that the film’s family-centered storytelling aligns closely with Filipino sensibilities. “When you watch our movies, it’s more relatable. It’s like, ‘oh, my grandma is there.’ It’s like a typical Chinese movie, because the Chinese are also very family-oriented.”

For Lim, the goal is to move viewers beyond labels. 

“I think everyone has to be more open-minded—not to see it as a film by China or a film by the Philippines,” he said. “We should get the nationality out of the way and be open to beautiful storytelling.”

He added that promoting such films ensures meaningful stories are not overlooked. “If it’s a beautiful movie but no one knows about it, it’s a waste.”

As more collaborations emerge, Lim remains optimistic the exchange will go both ways. “Sooner or later, we will also be the ones to show them our side of the story,” he said, reinforcing his view that what’s unfolding is not a wave, but a shared cultural moment.

The recent media conference to promote “Dear You” was also attended by Victor Lim, FFCCCII president; Gino Chen, FFCCCII assistant secretary general; and Eduardo Cobonkiat, FFCCCII board member and cochair of the Media & Public Information Committee.

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