NDR 2026: Cap on screenings of dialect films will be lifted if they have Mandarin-dubbed versions

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SINGAPORE â A cap on the number of screenings of dialect films will be lifted if they have Mandarin-dubbed versions, as Singapore makes more room for dialects alongside its efforts to promote Mandarin, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Aug 23.

In his Chinese speech at the National Day Rally, PM Wong said: âEven as we promote the use of Mandarin, we can also make more room for dialects. While our free-to-air broadcasts will remain mainly in Mandarin, we can ease restrictions for pay television and movies.â

He added: âCurrently, there is a limit on the number of screenings of dialect films. We will relax this rule. So long as a Mandarin-dubbed version is available, there will be no cap on the number of dialect screenings.â

Details for pay television will be announced soon.

PM Wongâs announcement comes after the China film Dear You sparked lively discussions in Singapore recently.

The Infocomm Media Development Authorityâs (IMDA) initial decision to limit screenings of the movie, which was filmed mostly in the Teochew dialect, had sparked discussions online about the Speak Mandarin Campaign. Launched in 1979, it promotes the use of Mandarin as the main language for Singaporeâs Chinese community, as opposed to dialects.

IMDA said on June 16 that Dear You would be screened in its Mandarin-dubbed version for general release in Singapore. The Teochew version would still be screened at the premiere and be made available for subsequent festival and niche screenings, it said, adding that this continues to support the bilingual policy, which aims to promote Mandarin as the main language among Chinese Singaporeans.

Joining the debate were Singapore film-makers Eric Khoo and Jack Neo, who jointly wrote in a Forum letter published in The Straits Times on June 19 that the policy has outlived its original purpose.

Speaking in Parliament on July 7, Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information Tan Kiat How said the authorities were reviewing the film guidelines with respect to the use of dialects in films.

The Government will take into account different media platforms in doing so, he added in response to calls from MPs for the guidelines around language use in media to be reviewed, in particular for dialect use.

PM Wong, who had watched the Teochew version of the film, said: âWhile I could only understand a little of it myself, one line from the grandmother stood out for me: âBe a person of compassion and loyalty.â Hearing those words in dialect made them even more endearing.â

He added: âMany see dialects as a cultural heritage worth preserving. I agree. That said, we must also protect the hard-won gains of the Speak Mandarin Campaign.â

After decades of effort, Mandarin has become the common language among Chinese Singaporeans and laid a strong foundation for the bilingual policy, while connecting Singaporeans to Chinese communities worldwide.

âOur bilingual policy and efforts to promote Mandarin are moving in the right direction and must continue,â PM Wong said.

The campaign back then had urged Chinese Singaporeans to âSpeak more Mandarin and less dialects.â But the situation today is very different, he noted.

Now, few families speak dialect at home. Most Chinese Singaporeans know Mandarin but use English more often. He noted that a survey had shown that most Chinese households use English at home, while only about one-third use Mandarin.

âThe challenge now is to encourage those comfortable in English to speak more Mandarin,â he said. âThe more we use Mandarin, the better we will get at it. Speak more Mandarin - yes I can, so can you!â

At the same time, the Government will continue to support the efforts of clan associations that have been promoting dialects through classes and cultural activities.

PM Wong said: âI hope they will give Singaporeans more opportunities to learn about dialects, find out more about their cultural roots and strengthen our local Chinese culture.â

Watch PM Wongâs National Day Rally speech here: