Desperate for money, a young man travels to Thailand to find his grandfather who hasn't been seen for decades but who has been sending money and letters home for years. He is hoping to get some money from him to pay his debts. However, what he finds instead is something unexpected.
This is a story involving Qiaopi, the practice of family member working away from home sending money and letters home to loved ones. The practice lasted decades before more or less ending with the rise of modern banking. (details can be found here). While it is one of the things that sets the story in motion the truth of the matter is this is something much more moving.
The story of family, friends and obligation DEAR YOU is probably one of the best films you will see all year. There is a sense of life here the likes of which I've never run across in cinema before. Watching the film, I was watching people I know up on the screen. It didn't matter that the film is set on the far side of the world, I was watching my friends and family on the screen.
This film is absolutely glorious. While bits of it are clearly put together because of dramatic issues, this is a film that is ultimately about real people. We are not watching some contrived story but something that feels lived in. Is it any wonder that I could see people I know in it.
There were times when I was reaching for a tissue because what I was seeing really hit home?
How is it that this film is flying under the radar? I know the film closed the New York Asian Film Festival this year, but this should have been at a bigger festival like the New York or Toronto. No offense to NYAFF but as successful as the festival is, it runs so long that anything in the later portion of the fest simply isn't covered by the non-Asian press. I saw nothing about the film in my various feeds, which is a sin because this film so so good.
See this film. Bring tissues but go see it. Trust me, there is a very good chance this will be on your favorite of the year list.
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