Singaporean Hong Weilun was left disappointed after he failed to secure tickets for limited Teochew screenings of the Chinese film Dear You when they were released on Monday.

“It is important to watch the original version because the mood, nuances and emotional weight of the film are best conveyed through the actors’ expressions, accents and subtle vocal cues,” Hong said.

The 40-year-old, who is Teochew and had initially planned to travel to Malaysia to watch Dear You, may now get the chance to enjoy the Chinese migration film in its authentic glory.

Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) granted 50 additional Teochew screenings of the smash hit after the initial shows sold out.

The concession follows intense public discourse about Singapore’s choice to commercially screen a Mandarin-dubbed version of the blockbuster, with many voicing concerns about a loss of authenticity and heritage.

As dialect usage wanes, the relevance of the city state’s language policies has also been thrust into the spotlight.

Singapore guidelines dictate that dialect films are allowed on a case-by-case basis, and that Chinese films meant for theatrical release should generally be in Mandarin.