A Story of Family, Letters, and Lifelong Sacrifice: Breakout Chinese Box Office Hit 'Dear You' Arrives in Theatres September 4《給阿嬤的情書》

A debt, a distant land, and a bundle of letters spanning decades these are the threads that weave together Dear You《給阿嬤的情書》, the critical and box-office sensation set to make its US and Canadian theatrical debut on September 4, 2026. Following its acclaimed North American premiere at the New York Asian Film Festival, director Lan Hongchun’s multi-generational drama arrives as a poignant exploration of family devotion, sacrifice, and the enduring ties that bind the Chinese diaspora across generations.

Film & Books, Mark Your CalendarFête ChinoiseJuly 30, 2026Movies, Movie, Film, hong kong, hong kong film, Hong KongComment

Francesco Lietti: Painting Cities, Layer by Layer 彩色旅圖

Francesco Lietti did not come to painting through art school. He started in the corners of a shared house in south London, working on whatever surfaces were at hand. As a child he had always drawn and painted, but without formal lessons. What he did have, he says, was imagination. For years he painted in bursts, then stopped for months at a time. In 2001, he began taking apart old furniture, painting the boards and hanging them on the walls. That small, practical decision gave him both material and space and turned painting from an occasional diversion into a habit.

Design DialogueFête ChinoiseJuly 30, 2026design annual, design, artists, artist, hong kong, Hong KongComment

The Show Must Go On: Remembering Patrick Tse, Hong Kong’s Eternal "Fourth Brother"

Esteemed actress Pei-Pei Cheng 鄭佩佩 has passed away in San Francisco at the age of 78. Best known to North American audiences for her iconic role in the Oscar-winning film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon《臥虎藏龍》, Cheng leaves behind a rich legacy that has deeply influenced the world of martial arts cinema. In recent years, she also played poignant roles in films such as Meditation Park and Mulan.

Community & PeopleFête ChinoiseJuly 20, 2026actor, Actor, Legend, Movies, movies, Movie, Film, film, hong kong film, hollywoodComment

LABEG: Making Time Out of Paper 手造紙製陀飛輪

I have known Hong Kong–based artist Gabriel Lau, better known as LABEG, for long enough to remember him before he had the words for what he was. Before the Instagram following. Before Watches & Wonders in Geneva. Before the 22‑month waitlist that now trails behind him like a comet’s tail. I knew him in the years when the art was just an itch he couldn’t name, and the watches were a longing he couldn’t afford. We were younger then, and the world was much smaller: church basements, late‑night hotpots, the kind of easy warmth you only know when you don’t yet realize it is passing.

Design DialogueFête ChinoiseJuly 17, 2026design annual, craftmanship, designComment

Hayley Chiu’s Crowded Rooms 在懵懂中見澄明：趙之希

A young woman sits alone in a small room. Around her, the space is packed: lucky cats, red lanterns, mahjong tiles and painted carp. At first the scene looks light and playful, almost like a cartoon. Look longer and the scene tightens. The room feels less like decor and more like a mind crowded with memory. These are the kinds of interiors that Canadian artist Hayley Chiu returns to in her work, not as decoration but as a way to think about identity, home and the pull of Hong Kong from far away.

Design DialogueFête ChinoiseJuly 9, 2026design annual, craftmanship, designComment

Game On: A New Exhibition Explores Chinese-Canadian Representation in Sports

As FIFA fever sweeps the nation, a dynamic new exhibition at the Chinese Canadian Museum celebrates over a century of grit, greatness, and athletic legacy. “Chinese Canadians have always been part of the game, but rarely part of the story,” notes Dr. Melissa Karmen Lee, CEO of the Chinese Canadian Museum. This poignant nuance forms the heart of the showcase, which invites visitors to trace over a century of Chinese-Canadian presence in sports. Designed as an electrified, sports bar–inspired space, the Poy Family Gallery presents archival objects, photographic portraits, and newly commissioned moving image works, allowing everyone to explore these beautiful layers of history through different mediums.

Designing Love, at Mid-Autumn 2026: In the Mood for Mahjong 「愛在中秋」2026：一副麻雀，幾代回憶

Our mooncake tin design pays tribute to this rich tradition while offering an education bridge for the next generation. Drawing inspiration from vintage Mahjong sets, including collections from Waddington’s Auctioneers, our committee members, and our Editor-in-Chief, we studied variations in tile design, from characters to floral motifs, carving strokes and symbolic details. We then dreamt up and hand-illustrated our own interpretation.

Mahjong, Memory & Mid-Autumn: Fête Chinoise Launches the 2026 Love at Mid-Autumn Campaign

There is a particular sound that many of us carry from our earliest memories: the sharp, satisfying click and clang of Mahjong tiles shuffled across a table, the gentle murmur of conversation between turns, and the laughter that rises from familiar stories, playful teasing, and moments shared around the table. Across generations and continents, Mahjong has travelled far beyond the tabletop. It has become a gathering place connecting families, preserving traditions, and carrying with it a rich language of symbolism, craftsmanship, and cultural memory.

This Mid-Autumn Festival, we invite our community to rediscover the beauty behind this beloved game through the 6th annual Love at Mid-Autumn campaign, a celebration of Chinese heritage, creative expression, and giving back.

Heritage Meets Fine Jewellery: Qeelin’s Poetic ‘Miracle Garden’ in Beijing

True luxury lives in the story woven between the artisan's hand and millennia of culture. This early summer, fine jewellery house Qeelin beautifully illustrated this balance by transforming Beijing’s iconic Ziyunxuan (紫雲軒) into an immersive sanctuary for its 2026 Fine Jewellery Private Exhibition. Guests were taken on a journey structured around five distinct layers of “Qeelin Encounters,” a poetic passage through the verdant landscapes of Guizhou province, where ancient dialogues between heaven, earth, and humanity are forged into wearable art.

Objects of DesireFête ChinoiseJune 17, 2026jewellery, jewelryComment

Bringing the Majesty of the Harp Closer to Home at Toronto International Harp Festival 2026

There is a timeless grace to the harp that makes it easy to admire. With its sweeping silhouette and gentle, ambient sound, it is an instrument many of us are content to enjoy from a comfortable distance, appreciating its elegance at a special event or as a soothing component in a classical concert. Yet, because it carries such an aura of rarefied prestige, we often rarely get the chance to truly step inside its world or see it as a modern, dynamic storyteller.

Mark Your Calendar, Community & PeopleFête ChinoiseJune 12, 2026Movies, Movie, FilmComment

A Father’s Day Gift Guide in Craft, Design, and Everyday Luxury 2026 父親節送禮推薦

Father's Day is an opportunity to celebrate the fathers, mentors, and role models who have shaped our lives through their guidance, generosity, and quiet strength. This year, we've curated a selection of gifts that balance craftsmanship, style, and everyday practicality, from refined accessories and timeless wardrobe essentials to distinctive pieces that reflect personality and taste. Explore our handpicked selection and discover gifts designed to be enjoyed long after Father's Day has passed.

Objects of DesireFête ChinoiseJune 10, 2026gift guide, Gifting, father's dayComment

We’re Nothing At All: Herman Yau’s Bold Fusion of Thriller and LGBTQ+ Realities Hits Canadian Theatres《我們不是什麼》

Acclaimed director Herman Yau bridges thriller tension with deep empathy in We’re Nothing At All, starring Anson Kong, ANSONBEAN, and Patrick Tam. Catch the hit Hong Kong LGBTQ+ drama in Canadian theatres this June.