Day 7: Kaohsiung -- Home Again

Late last night after the Taichung screening we drove into Kaohsiung. Kaohsiung is where my parents were born and raised, and is the second largest city in Taiwan. In some ways, the idea for Formosa Betrayed was born here -- even before I was born. My parents experiences growing up under KMT in this southern most Taiwanese of cities is where they and many others experienced the oppression and injustice that was the inspiration for the film.

First up is an interview with a Taiwanese BCC radio -- a Chinese/Taiwanese radio station. They are very excited to have someone from their "hometown" to discuss the film and we talk about my parents upbringing in Kaohsiung. Speaking of parents -- my mom has flown back to Taiwan for the Kaohsiung premiere and she treats myself and the Sky Digi Entertainment team to lunch. Tiffany Wang, President of Sky Digi, along with the whole team comes along. My uncle shows up as well and it's a bit of a family reunion.

After lunch, I go with the Sky Digi team over to the Kaoshiung Culture Bureau to meet with the director of the KCB -- Shi Che. I met Mr. Shi a couple of years ago when we were scouting for the film in Taiwan. He says that he can help promote the film by putting up promo ads on the Kaohsiung MRT (Mass Rail Transit -- subway and bus), which is greatly appreciated. He invites me to come back to Kaohsiung in October to speak at the Kaohsiung Film Festival. We were invited to the KFF last year, but decided against it since we didn't have a Taiwanese distributor yet. Now Mr. Shi and the KCB is inviting me back -- primarily to speak about why we decided to shoot the movie in Thailand instead of Taiwan. I said I am more than happy to explain why and would be honored to come back. Looks like I will be coming back to Taiwan in October folks!

Next up is the surprise of the day. Cheng Hsin Chu -- a Kaohsiung city counsel member and practicing Buddhist monk -- invites me to his radio show. I'm advised by my publicist that he is very "deep green" (see my previous blog on green vs. blue politics in Taiwan). Sure enough, when we get to the radio station, there are pictures of a Buddhist monk -- Mr. Cheng -- with former President Chen Shui-Bian -- a very controversial figure who is now in jail on corruption charges. President Chen is a controversial figure for the "green" side since he has been jailed. But obviously Mr. Cheng does not care.

When I get upstairs to the booth, I feel like I'm in a small Buddhist temple -- with radio equipment. Mr. Cheng is sitting behind a table broadcasting . He informs us that his program is heard around Taiwan on dozens of radio stations, and around the world on the internet. It is also my first call-in show. Mr. Cheng then gives me a glowing introduction and urges all of his listeners/followers to see the film. What comes next is utterly surprising -- we start getting calls, by the dozens, then by the hundreds from his listeners -- all of them just so grateful and so supportive of the film and myself. Many ask if I can come back to Taiwan and run for office! Others say they are buying out screenings. Still others say that they will buy tickets and send them to President Ma. It is a hilarious back and forth and I gotta say is the highlight of my trip so far -- never felt so much love from so many strangers in my life! :)

Afterwards, we are running late and get back to the hotel so I get made up for the Kaohsiung premiere. I didn't think that anything could top the monk, but it turns out I was wrong. Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu comes and does a press conference at the Formosa Betrayed premiere. Mayor Chen is a real life freedom fighter, having been arrested in the Formosa Incident -- which inspired the riot scene in the film. She was imprisoned for many years on Green Island -- the dreaded prison off the east coast of Taiwan where many political and other prisoners where held.

Mayor Chen speaks in glowing terms about how she heard about the film a few years ago from her Taiwanese-American friends, and that she was so impressed that a second-generation Taiwanese American would make a film about Taiwan's struggle for democracy and independence. She thanks my mom and dad for having taught their children to be Taiwanese and to care so much about Taiwan. She urges everyone to see the film to remind themselves and others about Taiwan's struggle for democracy. She says that she is buying tickets for herself and her friends to see it. I'm then asked to say a few words, and I thank Mayor Chen and give her 30 white lilies to thank her for her contribution to Taiwan's democracy. She's a total sweetheart and very gracious and invites me to dinner when I'm back in Kaohsiung.

In the press conference afterwards one of the journalist's asks if I'm surprised by the makeup of the crowd -- which is equal parts older generation (grandmas and grandpas), middle-aged folks, and young people. I respond not really -- as this was the case in the US and Canada when we showed the film as well. We feel Formosa Betrayed appeals to all audiences and can be seen with friends and family.

Finally we go in and introduce the film to the crowd. They are excited and one of the guest speakers and family friend Wang Peng Hu talks about how his uncle was blacklisted and couldn't come back to Taiwan. It wasn't until after he died that his ashes were brought back to Taiwan. The story brings tears to his eyes and everyone in the audience. My mom and the rest of my family is there, which is really special for me.

At the afterparty after the premiere, we have a small group of 20-30 people -- mostly friends and family. Coincidentally, my interview with Hsieh Chi-Wei is playing on Formosa TV just as we start the party. At the party, everyone there commits to buying over 1000 tickets for opening weekend.

This is why I love Kaohsiung :)

W.