Two years ago senior government officials were approached about using the "power of Hollywood" to help produce a fictional movie to win the hearts and minds of people around the world for Taiwan and inspire the Taiwanese people to continue their struggle for true independence.
Two years later, after a number of high-level meetings both in Taiwan and the US, no progress has been made and the project has simply been abandoned.
Apparently the Government Information Office (GIO) cannot afford less than US$1 million to write and develop an independently financed US$50 million movie that would successfully promote Taiwan's interests worldwide.
The opportunity to release the movie prior to the 2008 Olympics in China, stir worldwide controversy and highlight Taiwan's right to independence has been lost.
A high-concept feature movie could pack all of Taiwan's creative energy, spectacular economic success and dangerous predicament in respect to China into a well-crafted story to appeal to audiences all around the world.
It is fictional drama, so the writers and producers can be as daring and provocative as they wish.
Taiwan needs to emotionally connect with people worldwide through movies.
Despite recent bold statements from the president and repeated attempts to join the UN, most of the world is too interested in either getting rich from cheap Chinese labor or purchasing cheap goods from China, to care.
The world loves great movies. Movies influence public opinion, public opinion influences political opinion and political opinion shapes history.
Taiwan should hire independent Western writers and producers who are not afraid of China's tantrums, finance the writing, development and production of a highly entertaining "Hollywood" movie, promote it aggressively and win the propaganda war with China.
The result will be a self-funding promotion of Taiwan with a substantial return on investment, which will enhance pride and confidence in the people of Taiwan to continue their noble and just struggle against Chinese communist hegemony.
Walter Brown
Newport Beach, California
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