NDR 2026: Cap on dialect film screenings to be lifted with Mandarin-dubbed versions, Chinese subtitles

SINGAPORE – A cap on the number of screenings of films with dialect 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 Mandarin speech at the National Day Rally, PM Wong said: “Even 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.”

He added: “Currently, 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.”

The Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) said that, in addition to a Mandarin-dubbed version, the films must also have Chinese subtitles for the screening cap to be lifted. The change applies to films that are entirely in dialect or have majority-dialect content.

For subscription TV, there will no longer be restrictions on dialect content, such as allowing only one dialect arthouse movie per week or a percentage of dialect songs on a music channel.

The updated guidelines for films and subscription TV will take effect in September 2026, the ministry said.

“Our linguistic landscape has evolved over the years. It’s time to give dialect films more space now,” wrote Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo in Chinese on social media following the announcement.

“I hope this adjustment will open a door for Singaporeans now and in the future to rediscover, appreciate, and pass down the stories, expressions, and voices that connect us with the previous generation,” she added.

The announcement comes after the Chinese film Dear You sparked lively discussions in Singapore recently.

The Infocomm Media Development Authority’s (IMDA) initial decision to limit screenings of the movie – filmed mostly in Teochew – to just 10 had sparked discussions online about the Speak Mandarin Campaign. Launched in 1979, it promotes the use of Mandarin as the main language for Singapore’s 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.

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 had outlived its original purpose.

Since the IMDA statement, it has approved more than 1,000 screenings of the Teochew version of Dear You, said MDDI.

PM Wong, who watched the Teochew version of Dear You, said: “While I could only understand a little of it myself, one line from the grandmother stood out for me: ‘Be a person of compassion and loyalty.’ Hearing those words in dialect made them even more endearing.”

He added: “Many 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.”

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

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

The campaign back then had urged Chinese Singaporeans to “Speak more Mandarin and less dialects”, he said. 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.

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

The Government will also continue to support the efforts of clan associations that have been promoting dialects through classes and cultural activities.

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

Watch PM Wong’s National Day Rally speech here:

READ NEXT: 10 highlights from PM Wong’s National Day Rally speech