Between Imagination and Reality: A Narrative Analysis of Cape No. 7 (Critical Essay‪)‬

Introduction In the latter half of 2008, one of the most topical subjects in Taiwanese society was the film Cape No. 7. As a film that did not feature any famous movie stars, it came as a surprise that the box office returns exceeded NT$500 million by the end of 2008. Many Taiwanese audiences went to movie theaters to watch this film repeatedly. Hengchun, a little town in Pingtung County, as well as the major setting of the movie, has accordingly become a hot tourist attraction. After watching the movie, many people went to this little town just for the purpose of visiting the chief actor's attic featured in many shots, or to sit on the embankment, just as some characters did in the film, or to look at the other locations depicted in the film. The Hengchun Township office and the Pingtung County government have followed the trend of Cape No. 7 and arranged a series of sightseeing activities to promote tourism in Hengchun and Pingtung. Therefore, the success of Cape No. 7 is considered to be a stimulant to the gloomy local cinema industry in Taiwan, and the discussions of the film lasted even after the movie stopped playing in theaters.