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Election
Directed by	Johnnie To
Produced by	Dennis Law Johnnie To Presented by Charles Heung Dennis Law Administrative Producers Tiffany Chen Maylie Ho
Written by	Yau Nai-Hoi Yip Tin-Shing
Starring	Simon Yam Tony Leung Ka-Fai Louis Koo Tin Lok Wong Tin Lam
Distributed by	Tartan Films (USA) Optimum Releasing (UK) China Star Entertainment Group (Hong Kong)
Release date(s)	2005 (Hong Kong)
Running time	101 min. (France, Cannes Film Festival) 85 min. (China, cut version)
Country	Hong Kong
Language	Cantonese, Mandarin
Followed by	Election 2
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Election (traditional Chinese: 黑社會 Literal Title: Black Society, a common Cantonese reference to the society of Triads), is a 2005 Hong Kong film directed by Johnnie To with a large ensemble cast. The two actors Simon Yam and Tony Leung Ka-Fai play two gang leaders engaged in a power struggle to become the new leader of the Hong Kong Triad society.

A sequel to the film, Election 2 (also known as Triad Election in the United States), was released in 2006.

Contents 1 Movie Synopsis 2 Cast 3 Reception 3.1 Awards 3.2 Distribution 3.3 Box Office 4 Trivia 5 See Also 6 External links

The movie began as the two-year term expired, all of the elders from Wo Shing society were in the process of electing a new chairman, with some last-minute "campaigning" from both Lok (Simon Yam) and Big D (Leung) a few days prior to the election. After bitter arguments from supporters of both candidates in the likes of Uncle Cocky (played by veteran TV actor Tam Ping Man) and Uncle Monk, Lok was elected as the new chairman. However, Big D was dismayed by the result, proceeded to kidnap two elders and punished them for their votes, thus prompting Whistle to ask his lieutenant, Four-Eye to hide the dragon head baton, which is a symbol of power for the leader.

In the meantime, Chief Superintendent Hui and the police, as well as the police in China, in an attempt at avoiding a civil war within Wo Shing, arrested all the key figures of the society, included Teng, Big D, Cocky, Monk, and the newly-elected chairman Lok. However, during a negotiation attempt in a holding cell, Uncle Cocky uncovered Big D's plan to organize a new triad, which infuriated both Teng & Hui. Meanwhile, a pursuit of the baton ensued, and when Kun (Blacky's henchman) caught up with Big Head (Tally's henchman) during a confrontation, Kun's boss informed him of the plan has been changed. After the leaders have been released on bail, as well as hours of never-ending pursuit between Kung, Jimmy, and Jet on route, Lok eventually received the baton from Jimmy thus made his appointment official.

Despite negotiations with Big D after his bail, Lok is eventually forced to murder his rival with a boulder during a fishing trip with D, and D's wife via suffocation at a tree nearby, after Big D hinted that he would propose to the elders of power sharing between Lok & Big D in the event of Lok was taken ill or other misfortunes occurred to the official leader, and they were eventually buried in a reservoir, while Lok drove away with his son Denny, who seemed petrified after witnessing his dad's brutality before running to the car, as the movie came to close.

• Simon Yam Tat Wah: Lok
• Tony Leung Ka Fai: Big D
• Louis Koo Tin Lok: Jimmy
• Nick Cheung Ka Fai: Jet
• Eddie Cheung Siu Fai: Mr. So
• Lam Suet: Big Head
• Lam Ka Tung: Kun
• Wong Tin Lam: Uncle Teng
• Maggie Siu Mei Kei: Big D's Wife
• David Chiang: Chief Superintendent Hui
• Tam Ping Man: Uncle Cocky
• Chan Siu Pang: Uncle Monk
• Wang Chung: Whistle
• Che Biu Law: Tally
• Robert Hung: Sam
• Kwok Fung: Fish Ball
• Lam Man-wai: Sparky
• Lo Hoi-Pang (voice)
• Ng Ting Yip: Senior Inspector Tad
• Andy On
• Wong Chi Wai
• Wong Ho-Yin: Detective Wong
• Cherrie Ying
• You Yong: China Police Captain
• Yuen Bo: Dinosaur
• Yuen Bun: Incense Master

The movie is notable in being nominated for 14 Golden Horse Awards in Hong Kong cinema. The film was named best film of 2005 in the Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards, with To also clinching best director honours for the movie.

Election was sold to more than 21 territories, including to Optimum Releasing for the UK, ARP Selection for France and Hopscotch Films for Australia, after screening at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival in competition. (Tartan Films has acquired all US rights to this movie as of May 2006.)

Election grossed about HK$15.59 million in Hong Kong, which is quite high for a movie that received a Category III rating (18+ restriction) in Hong Kong.

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

• Simon Yam and Lam Suet collaborated with Johnnie To in 1997, as they were starring in The Mission, whose director is also To, and also co-starred Wong Tin Lam.
• Election is also marked one of many occurrences where several actors (Simon Yam, Maggie Siu, Tam Ping Man, David Chiang, Cheung Siu Fai, Nick Cheung, Louis Koo, Lam Ka Tong), past & present from both ATV and TVB, starred & co-starred in movies.
• Wong Tin Lam & Johnnie To were both employed by TVB in the 1980s, and Wong was also directed several movies during the 1950s.

• Election 2 (aka Triad Election)
• List of Hong Kong films
• List of movies set in Hong Kong

• Election at LoveHKFilm.com