1895 (Taiwanese Film)

1895, also released as Blue Brave and known in Chinese as 一八九五, is a Taiwanese historical drama film directed by Chih-yu Hung. The screenplay was written by Miao-hui Kao, based on a novel by Chiao Li. The film is primarily spoken in Hakka and Japanese, reflecting its historical setting.

Plot

The film depicts the resistance against the Japanese invasion of Taiwan in 1895 following the First Sino-Japanese War, when the Qing government ceded Taiwan to Japan. In response to the invasion, local volunteer groups organized a resistance. As Qing officials fled and Taipei was captured, three figures—Tang-hsing We, Hsiang Hsu, and Shao-tsu Chiang—formed a guerrilla front to oppose the advancing Japanese military.

Production

The production had a budget of NT$60 million, approximately equivalent to US$1.8 million. Filming took place across more than 30 distinct locations throughout Taiwan. To capture a major conflict between the local guerrilla forces and the Japanese army, the Taiwan Sugar Corporation provided a 4.7-acre sugarcane field, which the production team deliberately burned for the sequence.