OVERSEAS APPRECIATION
"Kano," which had a budget of around NT$250 million, was shot in Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung and Taichung. In fact, Chiayi City sponsored the production of the movie and NT$50 million of the film's budget was used to replicate the look of Chiayi in the 1930s in the city's current downtown area. Lead actor Nagase said he was impressed by the large-scale set, noting that a set of that size is rare even in Japan today.
Anticipation over the baseball movie has reached fever pitch since the turn of the year, particularly as previews for the film were a staple of New Year celebrations around Taiwan. A 2.5-minute trailer for the movie was screened at 21 countdown parties, concerts and other events held in 20 cities and counties on Dec. 31, director Ma noted. In addition to the trailer, the movie's theme song was unveiled for the first time at a countdown party in Tainan, while the EasyCard Corporation distributed 10,000 "Kano" flags at Taipei Civic Square on Dec. 31.
The film is also being used to promote Taiwan overseas. A trailer for the movie was screened on Aug. 3 last year at Citi Field in New York as part of the Taiwan Heritage Night celebrations that were hosted by the New York Mets baseball team. It marked the first time that a Taiwanese movie was promoted at an American baseball game, demonstrating the widespread appeal of this underdog story. Wei, who attended the game, said he hoped the 30-second trailer would help promote tourism to Taiwan through the universal language of baseball.
"Kano" has also been chosen as the opening film of this year's Osaka Asian Film Festival in Japan, and could help the two countries understand each other more and boost bilateral exchanges, officials for the festival said. Kunio Kano, head of the Osaka Government Tourism Bureau, said during a recent visit to Chiayi City that he was impressed by the movie, which depicts how a high school baseball team in Chiayi managed to achieve such incredible success under the instruction of a Japanese coach.
The official said the coincidence that he shares a name with the movie, and that the tournament featured in the film takes place near Osaka, made him determined to use the film to inaugurate the festival. Invited by Kano to attend the festival that runs from March 7 to 16, Chiayi Mayor Huang Min-huei said she hopes the movie can bring back happy memories shared by many Taiwanese and Japanese people.
資料來源：http://www.chinapost.com.tw/guidepost/topics/default.asp?id=4195&next=1&sub=24
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