The military is aiming for the sky by supporting a movie about the travails and romantic lives of Taiwanese fighter pilots.
The film, Dream Flight (想飛), focuses on air force trainees as they go through a transformation into air force pilots, featuring aerial action with jet fighters.
It has Taiwanese cinematic pedigree, being directed by Khan Lee (李崗), the younger brother of Oscar-winning filmmaker Ang Lee (李安).
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Khan Lee announced during a press conference held at the Ministry of National Defense yesterday that the final touches on the project have been completed and the movie is to be released in theaters nationwide on Oct. 17.
“It would not have been possible to take this project on and finish it without the generous assistance and support of the military,” he said.
Some people have called the film Taiwan’s version of Hollywood’s 1986 blockbuster Top Gun.
Khan Lee said the film’s storytelling, background setting, characterizations, technical production, sound recording, computer graphics and special effects were all done domestically by Taiwanese.
“It is 100 percent, entirely made in Taiwan,” he said.
Most of the on-site filming took place at Gangshan Air Force Base in Greater Kaohsiung, with filming also done on location at the Tainan Air Force Base.
The film features the nation’s Indigenous Defense Fighters (IDF).
Khan Lee said he wanted the public to enjoy an “action-packed, exciting” movie.
“It is not an educational film for the military,” he said. “I made it for mass appeal and with entertainment in mind.”
The Air Force Academy, Air Force Institute of Technology, along with the 443rd, 455th and 499th Tactical Fighter Wing squadrons, provided assistance, training, advisory and logistics support.
Selected air force aircraft were provided for the filming, including IDF and Mirage 2000 fighters, along with Beechcraft T-34 trainers and indigenous AT3 advanced training craft.
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