What public pressure led MDDI to adopt a more lenient review?

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MDDI adopted a more lenient review after public calls for more widely screened dialect films, driven by a surge in interest sparked by the box-office success of Dear You.

MDDI said it will take a more flexible approach to screening dialect films in cinemas after it heard “calls for dialect films to be more freely screened.” The ministry linked this shift to a surge in public interest in Chinese dialects, with Dear You playing a major role in drawing attention to the Teochew language version.
The immediate trigger was public calls to screen dialect films more freely
MDDI confirmed that, under the existing framework, film distributors must apply for permission to screen films in dialects. After hearing public pressure for dialect films to be screened more freely, the ministry said IMDA will now be more lenient when reviewing these applications.
The surge in interest was tied to Dear You’s success and its Teochew version
The ministry pointed to a surge in public interest in Chinese dialects that was sparked by the massive box-office success of Dear You. While the film is screened commercially in Mandarin, its original Teochew version became a cultural talking point, triggering broader discussion about identity and heritage in Singapore.
Demand for the Teochew screenings showed the public pressure in practice
Clover Films’ Teochew screenings demonstrated that the interest was not just talk: eight Teochew screenings at Golden Village were fully booked almost instantly. The cinema chain then added eight more sessions from June 25 to 29, and all 4,800 tickets for those additional slots sold out within an hour.
The government framed the pressure as growing dialect interest, including among younger people
MDDI acknowledged that dialects are an important part of Singapore’s cultural heritage, carrying traditions, stories, and ways of expression that help Singaporeans stay connected to their cultural roots. It also noted growing interest in dialects among younger generations, even as the government continues to promote Mandarin as a unifying official language.

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What public pressure led MDDI to adopt a more lenient review?

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