Cape No. 7

Cape No. 7 is a 2008 Taiwanese written and directed by Taiwanese director . The film is mainly in but also contains significant lines in and . Before its commercial release, the film was selected as one of the opening films in the 2008 Taipei Film Festival.

The two leading actors Van Fan and Chie Tanaka only had minor acting experience while most of the other actors were amateurs, picked mainly for their rock band experience as needed by the plot. Although without a strong promotional campaign, this movie attracted unexpected popularity in Taiwan after its official release on August 22, 2008. As of September 18, the movie has grossed over NT$ 100 million. It is also the top grossing Taiwanese film in the island's cinematic history.

Plot

Back in the 1940s during the Taiwan under Japanese rule era, a Japanese teacher dispatched to fell in love with a local girl who was given the Japanese name Kojima Tomoko. However, after the Surrender of Japan he was forced to return to his home country. He penned 7 love letters on his trip home to express his regret for leaving Kojima Tomoko, who originally planned on living in Japan with Atari.

More than 60 years after Atari left Tomoko, Aga is introduced as a struggling young Hengchun-native rock band singer who could not secure a job in Taipei. After returning to his hometown, Aga's step father, the Town Council Representative, arranged a postman position for him, replacing the senile Uncle Mao, on break after a motorcycle accident broke his leg. One day Aga came across an undeliverable mail: the Japanese teacher has been dead and his offspring decided to mail these unsent love letters to Taiwan after discovering them. Aga unlawfully opened this mail to discover that the old Japanese-style address Cape No.7, Hengchun County, Takao Prefecture could no longer be found.

Meantime a local resort hotel inside Kenting National Park is organizing a beach concert featuring Japanese pop singer Kousuke Atari, but Aga's step father made use of his official identity to insist that the accompanying band be formed by locals. Tomoko, a Chinese-speaking Japanese fashion model dispatched to Hengchun, took up the difficult task of managing this band, led by Aga along with 6 other locals of rather particular backgrounds. After a frustrating trial period Aga and Tomoko unexpectedly began a relationship. With some assistance from hotel maid Ming-chu, Tomoko helped Aga find Kojima Tomoko, the rightful recipient of the 7 love letters. Aga then returned to the beach resort and performed a highly successful concert with this local band and Kousuke Atari.

Production notes

This movie was mainly filmed between September and November 2007 in and its neighboring and Township, together located in the Hengchun Peninsula of Pingtung County, with few scenes filmed in of Pingtung County, Kaohsiung International Airport, and Ximending in Taipei. Before filming, Chie Tanaka had been staying in Taiwan for one year to study Chinese so she did not have problem dealing with the Chinese lines in the film. Kousuke Atari appeared as himself and acted as the 1940s Japanese teacher in this film.

The production had problems securing financial interest and forced director Wei NT$ 30 million into debt before release. Wei later said this film's zealous reception should help him manage his debts.

Awards

* 2008 Taipei Film Festival: Taipei Million Grand Award, Best Audience Award, Best Cinematography.

* 2008 Asian Marine Film Festival: Grand Prize