櫻之聲 · 2016

Sound of Sakura

Huang Ming-chuan · 93 min · Taiwan

A group of Taiwanese who were born before World War II still insist on writing poetry and haiku in Japanese language. Director HUANG Ming-chuan has been documenting them for 22 years since 1994. Unlike Korea, another previous colony of Japan, Taiwan retains emotional and cultural ties with Japan even after the War. Over 40 years, these poets and writers get together discreetly under the ban of speaking and publishing in Japanese. More than half a century later, despite aging, they remain using Japanese in the final years of their lives. This film gathers memories of local Taiwanese who have been ruled by several colonial powers since the Dutch arrived on the island in late 17th century. And the path to obtain their own voice became a long way struggle, and so as the national identity.