Cape No.7 (海角七號) (2008)
"Aga, a band singer, returns to Hengchun with frustration. Tomoko is a Japanese model assigned to organize a local warm-up band for the Japanese super star beach concert. Together with other five ordinary Hengchun residents who were not expected to be great or anything, they formed an impossible band." - IMDb
(offical website)
Watch the trailer
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Cast
Van Fan (范逸臣) - Aga
Chie Tanaka - Tomoko
Kousuke Atari - Japanese teacher/himself
Rachel Liang (梁文音) - Kojima Tomoko in flashback scene.
Lin Tsung-ren - Uncle Mao Postman
Min-Hsiung - Rauma
Ying Wei-Min - Frog
Mai Tzu - Dada
Ma Nien-hsien - Malasun
Bjanav Zenror - Olalan
Ju-Lung Ma - Town Council Representative
Shino Lin - Ming-chu
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'Cape No.7' shakes up Taiwan's film industry
04 August 2008
The story of a real Hengchun rock band and a director's complete passion for filmmaking
One of Taiwan's most famed art house directors Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢) praised local filmmaker Wei Te-sheng's first feature length film "Cape No.7" as the most entertaining and enjoyable film he has seen in recent years from the local film industry, saying it was one of his most anticipated films of 2008.
After a press screening held in Taipei last Wednesday, local film critics were buzzing about Wei's mature storytelling ability, and predicted that Wei would make Taiwan's audiences laugh and cry and laugh again, just as they did in the screening of this two-hour movie. "The film is an ambitious production. Wei has helped other local directors overcome the fear of making expensive, big-budget, and magnificently set films. It is a very inspiring production for both moviegoers and filmmakers," said renowned film critic Wen Tien-hsiang in a telephone interview.
"Cape No.7," which was selected as the opening film for the 10th Taipei Film Festival, won the event's NT$1 million grand prize earlier this month.
The film is set in the sunny, southern coastal town of Hengchun, Pingtung County. It runs in parallel layers describing the rise of a local Hengchun rock band, and the discovery of seven love letters that were written 60 years ago and remain undelivered six decades later.
Despite winning praise from film critics, making a good movie that appeals to Taiwan's audiences is never an easy job. It not only requires a directorial gift for outstanding storytelling, but it also takes a director's courage to run risks or, to be more specific, to run financial risks.
Over recent years, most local film directors have set their budget for making a film at NT$10 million to be sure that they would not lose a lot of money. They are wary of the fact that the majority of the local audience prefer Hollywood movies to local films.
But Wei, making his debut movie two years ago at the age of 38, first borrowed NT$30 million from the bank and in total spent NT$50 million on making "Cape No.7."
(http://www.culture.tw/index.php?option=com...&Itemid=235)
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Has anyone watched this yet? I've seen it, and I think it's an awesome movie!
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