Blue Brave: The Legend of Formosa in 1895

"Blue Brave" tells the story of the resistance against the Japanese taking over the island in 1895 after the Qing government ceded Taiwan to Japan. This film provides a peek into this period of history and tells a brave story of how much people love their land. After hearing the news, some groups of Taiwan people organized their own resistance while most officials fled to China and Taipei was taken with minimal effort. Notably three Hakka youths led a guerrilla front that fought for the short-lived Republic of Formosa (also known as “Republic of Taiwan”). While the men were fighting in the war, the women supported them by staying behind to farm and dye clothing to make a living. They were later united with natives together they fought a war knowing they weren’t likely to win. But they fought anyway because of the love their felt for their land.