Big Surprise from China: A Small Drama Becomes a Global Hit

A Chinese film company, once called Alibaba Pictures, is rolling out its newest surprise blockbuster to the world. The movie, which earned about $223 million, first appeared in China on April 30 and has already become the second highest‑earning film of the year, surpassing major titles from famous directors. It is only behind a movie that made $653 million during the Lunar New Year, and it boasts an impressive 9. 2 rating on a popular Chinese review site. The studio plans to release the film in Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei on June 18. After that, it will travel to the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and France. The company has already attracted strong interest from distributors in North America, Europe and Southeast Asia.The director, Lan Hongchun, chose to shoot the story in the Chaoshan dialect instead of Mandarin, a move that makes the film’s success even more remarkable. The plot follows a grandson who journeys to Thailand in search of his supposedly wealthy grandfather, whom his grandmother has long hoped to meet. He discovers that a stranger has been sending money and letters to the family instead. Lan said he wants the film to share the experience of overseas remittance and highlight core Chinese values such as loyalty and righteousness with a worldwide audience. He added that a short letter can carry deep feelings, and that rivers and seas can be crossed by those emotions. The movie was produced through a partnership of several Chinese companies, including Shenzhen Golden Ant Film & Media Co. , Rongde Holdings Group and Shenzhen Lichun Film. It was made in collaboration with Guangzhou Mengmengda Network Technology, Changsha Lemon Light Culture Media and Shenzhen Yuguang Film.