What is martial law?
The dictionary definition of martial law is simply :
Military government, involving the suspension of ordinary law.
U.s department of justice definition :
Martial law involves the temporary substitution of military authority for civilian rule and is usually invoked in times of war, rebellion, or natural disaster.
The leading to the placement of martial law in Taiwan, that lasted from 1947 until 1987, was the ‘february 28’ incident. The February 28 incident was an anti-government uprising in Taiwan that was violently suppressed by the kuomintang-led nationalist government of the Republic of china. Directed by provincial governor Chen Yi, and president Cheng Kai-Shek, thousands of civilians were killed beginning february 28th.
“On February 28, 1947, the arrest of a cigarette vendor in Taipei led to large-scale protests by the native Taiwanese against the corruption and repression of Chiang Kai-shek’s Chinese Nationalist government, which had come over from China after Japan’s defeat by the Allied forces in 1945. Following the protests, troops that Chiang’s government secretly sent from mainland China rounded up and executed an entire generation of leading figures, including students, lawyers, and doctors. Scholars estimate that up to 28,000 people lost their lives in the turmoil. During the “White Terror” of the subsequent years, the Nationalists ruled Taiwan under martial law, which ended only when democratisation set in during the mid-1980s. The “228 Incident” remains a defining event in the political divide that exists in Taiwan today.” {Brookings february 22nd 2007}
Although the lifting of martial law in Taiwan gave people more freedom, the effects of this didn’t fade quickly, meaning many places, including schools, still performed the same way.
There are two main characters : Jia-han (A-han) played by Edward Chen and Wang Po-te (Birdy) played by Tseng Ching Hua.
They meet in grade 11, making them roughly 17 at the time.
Wang Po-te introduces himself as ‘Birdy’ which A-han mistakes as ‘idiot’ (‘idiot’ in chinese sounds like ‘Birdy’ in english.)
Birdy explains that this nickname comes from a movie called ‘Birdy’ which is about two friends. One is normal and one is crazy. The crazy one is named ‘Birdy’.
Now the first hour or so of this movie is flashbacks. A-han is confiding his love in the school’s priest, Father Oliver (played by Fabio Grangeon).
The topic of religion is a main theme within this movie. Every word, thought, look, touch is overseen by religion. Christianity is everywhere. During a room check, the teacher says “A wrongdoer achieves salvation as soon as he gives up evil.” While he is saying this, Birdy is sneaking into A-han’s room. A-han and his friends are getting ready to sneak out. Both are not allowed.
A few scenes later, Father Oliver is practising with the school's band. He tells them to treat their instrument as their lover as though not to appear ‘stiff’ or ‘awkward’ while they are performing. The boys in the room begin to question him on his past relationships. He tells them not to focus too much on finding love. “Love will come if it’s meant to be. No one can stop it.” He also says “love is not just physical intimacy” which is important later on.
Father Oliver’s past remains unknown, and almost hidden during A-han’s story telling.
There is a scene a bit further on in which the president dies. People gather to grieve in Taipei and A-han and Birdy join them on behalf of their school. They both say a prayer to pay their respects. A-han says a proper prayer, wishing the president a good and happy life in heaven whereas Birdy doesn’t say much, almost as if he doesn’t quite know how to pray properly. To me, this shows a lot about their religious beliefs. A-han is a christian who prays often and does believe in god, but Birdy is almost trying to make a joke out of it. Maybe he is not religious, maybe he is just uncomfortable? We never really get Birdy’s views on religion.
While they are roaming Taipei, they come across a protester on the footbridge. The protester is a male wearing a wedding dress holding a sign that says “homosexuality is not a disease.” The police come and force the protester away and Birdy tries to stop them. He is held back by A-han so he doesn’t get in trouble. This is the first time Birdy stands up for an openly gay person when A-han couldn’t. He defends a classmate getting attacked in the school bathroom by A-han’s ‘friends’ a little later on.
A-han and Birdy go on a little adventure around Taipei for the day and end up discussing books. Birdy says his favourite quote is “if what you give to me is the same as what you give to others, then i don't want it”
He also says ‘nobody will ever understand me.’
Birdy plays A-han one of his favourite songs (this world- Tsai Lan-chin ).
When they go back to school after the break, they are now a co-ed school. Although they are told to stay away from the girls, Birdy stands up for a girl, Banban (played by mimi shao). A-han can already tell that Birdy will develop feelings for Banban and vice versa. Birdy and Banban spend more time together while A-han gets pushed off to the side almost. A-han decides to go on a date with a girl. She tells him about something she read about in a magazine.
If you were to romanize ‘goodnight’ in Chinese into English you would say ‘wan an’.
Each letter has a different meaning.
W = wǒ
A = ài
N = nǐ
A = ài
N = nǐ
Wǒ ài nǐ (我爱你) is chinese for “i love you”.
She tells him that if you page someone a word, it appears in english. If he were to type ‘goodnight’ it would appear as ‘wan an’.
A-han uses this on Birdy. He doesn’t get a reply so he assumes Birdy didn’t know what it meant.
Birdy decides he is going to steal a giant balloon and he needs A-han’s help because he has a scooter/moped. The next day, the balloon appears in school with “wan an my love” written on the attached banner. Birdy set this up for Banban.
A-han realises that birdy knew what it meant but chose to ignore his feelings.
We are back in Father Oliver's office with A-han.
After A-han tells Father Oliver this, he replies with the bible.
Father: “God listed the seven sins we shouldn’t commit ; pride, greed, envy, lust, gluttony, wrath and sloth. God wants everyone to avoid such sins, especially lust.”
A-han : “but I was talking about love, not lust. Lust is only physical intimacy. I want him to truly accept me in his heart. I still believe in god. Didn't he say whoever believes in him shall have eternal life?”
A-han : “So you can like girls, but I can't like boys? Is your love bigger than the love I give? Tell me,what is the difference between your love and mine? Tell me the difference!”
Father: “if he doesn't love you, don't force him to. That is also living in the moment.”
A-han : “That's impossible. I can feel that he cares about me too.”
Father : “You should leave. You’re misunderstanding the bible”
A-han : “didn't he say “ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened? ” I've been knocking so hard. Why doesn’t he hear it? Father, you have never loved anyone like I do so you’ll never understand.”
When A-han was praying, he asked God ‘why is it a sin to love someone?’
Birdy comes into the church and makes up a prayer about A-han getting a girlfriend, even though he knows A-han likes him. He wants A-han to give up his feelings so he ignores them.
A little later, Father Oliver and A-han carry on their conversation
A-han: “weren't you the one who told me to live in the moment?”
Father: “i didn't know you liked boys at the time”
Father : “Care doesn't necessarily mean love. The bible tells us to control our desires. Don't cause others to go to hell.”
A-han : “help me go to hell then. I’d rather go to hell now. Don’t all homosexuals deserve to go to hell? Maybe more people would understand me in hell. Make it easy for me and help me go to hell.”
The school finds out that Birdy was the one who put the balloon in the school for Banban. Birdy gets detention and two minor demerits whereas Banban gets three major demerits and expulsion as her punishment.
Birdy’s dad comes to the school and tries to beat Birdy in front of all the teachers and some students. A-han runs into the office and tries to stop this. He gets beat up and Birdy hits him before leaving. A-han and father Oliver are now in the present and everything that happens afterwards, is from A-han’s point of view.
The only piece of information we get about Father Oliver’s backstory is this quote.
“I missed the revolution in Montreal, but I encountered your revolution here.” The only other thing we know is that he ran from Montreal when he was A-han’s age.
Father Oliver and A-han are saying a prayer when one of A-han’s friends tells them that his mum wants him to go home. A-han says no until he finds out that birdy is at his house. He rushes home without finishing his prayer.
Birdy has told A-han’s parents what happened at school.
This conversation follows.
A-han : “So we are just best friends?”
Birdy : “what do you want then? I’m doing this for you.”
A-han’s mum : “you can have a girlfriend when you go to college”
Birdy : “what if he doesn’t find one in college?”
A-han’s mum : “That's okay, he is still young.”
Birdy : “what if he never finds one?”
A-han : “ Wang Po-te! Stop being an a**hole! How is it your business if I get a girlfriend or not?”
Birdy : “ Who doesn’t have the balls now?....... Can you stop bothering me?”
A-han : “Dad, mum, I don't like the girl. Actually, I like……. ”
Birdy : “Chang Jia-han! Can you stop bothering me!?”
A-han : “I dare say who I like. Do you dare? ”
Birdy : “Have you lost your mind? Have you gone crazy? Chang Jia-han, can you stop acting like a queer?”
A-han : “what’s wrong with being a queer? Does it disgust you? If you find it so disgusting, say it to my face. Say it right to my face!”
A-han leaves after this and Birdy follows him. He begs A-han to go home. They travel on a boat to a different island. They swim naked in the ocean and kiss on the sand. They stay as the tide rises.
“The tide kept rising. I really hoped this would be the end of the world. After that day, he said he would prepare for the (college) entrance exams. We never saw each other again.”
If you don't know the backstory, this won't mean much as they reunite in the future, but when you learn that this movie is based on the director (Patrick Lui)’s first love. He says that the ending to this movie is completely fictional as he never met his first love again.
There is one more scene before the reunion which would have been the end to his own personal story.
A-han calls Birdy. Birdy has moved away but didn't tell him he was leaving.
A-han asks how his relationship with Banban is going and Birdy replies “she said being with me was like being in a Chiung Yao movie. It’s not realistic.”
(Chiung Yao is often regarded as the most popular romance novelist in the Chinese speaking world.)
A-han replies “everyone’s first love is as great as an epic movie, don’t you think?”
A-han then plays a song that he wrote for Birdy using the excuse a senior wrote it.
Now, earlier in the movie, Birdy tells A-han that he wants to go to film school and make movies. He asks A-han if he wants to join. A-han tells him that he isn’t into movies but he will write that soundtrack for him.
He is playing the song he wrote for their love. His epic movie.
In real life, A-han, or Patrick Lui, did make their first love an epic movie, and also the top grossing lgbtq+ movie in Taiwanese history.
For me, two parts of the end really summed up the entire movie.
30 years in the future, A-han and Birdy meet again after the death of Father oliver.
A-han also found out that Father Oliver was a gay man and spent the entire time trying to protect him.
When they meet again they go for a walk until A-han reaches wherever he is staying. They say goodnight. But they repeat it. Five times. You can tell this was intentional by the way Birdy spaces the words ‘wan an’. Although he has just told A-han that he really loved him ‘back then’, he wants to emphasise that he still loves him even now. Even after 30 years apart.
Now the very last scene.
It shows A-han and Birdy as teens again. But in Montreal. A place that broke free of the church in the 50’s. A place they could have been in love. Singing the song A-han wrote for them, but they are singing together.
A beautiful ending to a beautiful movie.
- demi
