Election

Johnnie To’s magnum opus focuses on the biannual election for the new chairman of a prominent Hong Kong triad, a traditional society of gangsters bound by its own rules of conduct and codes of honor. Their practices are so taboo that some of the poster designs were banned in Hong Kong. The contest is between laconic and reserved Lam Lok (Simon Yam) and arrogant, loud, obnoxious, and impulsive Big D (Tony Leung Ka-fai, in one of the best performances of an incredible career). The better man wins, but the wild card won’t stand for it, sending two suspect supporters literally down a hill (in a dog-cage, no less). The treachery escalates to brutal proportions as it becomes increasingly clear just how the dark world of the Triads stands for our own dog-eat-dog world. One of the greatest gangster films ever, period.

Update: Due to unforeseen circumstances, Tony Leung Ka-fai will not be able to attend this screening.