Singapore is easing long-standing rules on dialect films, allowing more screenings provided a Mandarin-dubbed version is also available.

Singapore will no longer limit the number of cinema screenings for dialect films, a policy shift announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Sunday. The relaxation, which also extends to pay television content, requires that a Mandarin-dubbed version of the film be made available.

Policy shift follows film debate

The change follows public discourse surrounding the Chinese film 'Dear You,' an indie production primarily in Teochew that premiered locally in June. Prime Minister Wong noted that the film resonated with audiences by highlighting the values and hardships of the nation's pioneers.

Moving beyond the Speak Mandarin Campaign

The previous policy, which generally required Chinese films to be in Mandarin and restricted dialect films to case-by-case approval, was rooted in the Speak Mandarin Campaign launched in 1979. That movement originally sought to replace dialects with Mandarin as the common language for the Chinese community. Prime Minister Wong stated that while the government continues to promote Mandarin, it is now making more room for dialects as a form of cultural heritage.