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Taiwan hopeful for Chinese release of hit Japan-themed movie
2008-12-03
TAIPEI - Taiwanese officials said Tuesday they are hopeful that a local blockbuster can hit theatres in China despite reports that the film might be banned for its pro-Japan theme. "Cape No. 7," which features some Japanese actors and dialogue, has become the best selling Chinese-language movie in Taiwan, raking some 460 million Taiwan dollars (around 14 million US) since its August opening. Taiwan's government has selected the much-hyped film to represent the island to vie for next year's foreign language Oscar. Director Wei Te-sheng said the film's copyrights were sold to China in November to be released in theatres this month but he was informed that its release date was delayed due to "technical reasons". China's Legal Evening News reported that export of the film "has been terminated" for unspecific reasons while local media speculated that China's anti-Japan sentiments were behind the halt. Taiwanese authorities and filmmakers on Tuesday attempted to downplay the suspected political hindrance. "We are checking on the situation now. We are confident that the mainland audience will like the movie," said Bill Chang, deputy director of the Government Information Office's Department of Motion Pictures. "We are optimistic" that the film will be shown in China, he said. "Cape No. 7" tells the story of the romance between a Taiwanese singer and a Japanese publicist who unwittingly uncover an ill-fated love affair from the island's Japanese colonial era. Director Wei stressed that the movie is about love, music and dreams and shouldn't be interpreted politically. "We hope the mainland audience will see the history from a different perspective. We hope to send a message that love and tolerance would resolve the regrets of the past," Wei said. Anti-Japan sentiments are still strong in China, which considers itself the biggest victim of past Japanese aggression, claiming it lost 20 million people between 1937 and 1945. Taiwan is much more sympathetic toward Japan despite being colonised between 1895-1945 and the lack of official ties as Tokyo formally recognises Beijing. Pro-Japan movies touched a nerve in China last year when mainland authorities reportedly blacklisted actress Tang Wei for "beautifying" a traitor in acclaimed Taiwanese director Ang Lee's spy thriller "Lust, Caution". Tang played a Chinese resistance spy who fell for a Japanese collaborator in the film set during Japan's occupation of Shanghai in the 1940s.
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