Election Night (1998)

To me, this movie is perfection.

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Anders Thomas Jensen's Oscar-winning "Valgaften" ("Election Night" in English) is about prejudices and how people will often vote based on these. Well, sure enough it came true. The current president of the US ran an entire campaign pandering to everyone's prejudices, and now those sorts of people are making inroads in Europe's governments. Could this in fact be the end of civilization as we know it? I haven't seen any of the other movies that got nominated for Best Live Action Short Film that year. They'd be hard-pressed to make as good a point as this one made. It might not be the greatest short of all time, but I recommend it as a warning of what can happen when people's base instincts manifest themselves. Worth seeing.

This is a 10-minute short film from Danmark that won writer and director Anders Thomas Jensen an Academy Award. It was his third consecutive nomination (although he was only in his 20s back then) and finally he took home the prize. After that, he worked on some of the most famous Danish films in recent years, but also on internationally successful projects such as "The Duchess". This year he has another pretty known film coming out: "Men & Chicken" starring Mads Mikkelsen who is among Denmark's acting elite right now. Speaking about that, so is Ulrich Thomsen and he plays the central character in this short film. While in a pub, he realizes that he forgot to vote and hurries to get his vote in on time. Unfortunately, on the way he meets all kinds of racist taxi drivers and when he finally sits in a car with an Arab or Turkish driver, even this one makes such remarks, about Asians this time. That restaurant, Pearl Harbor, Winter Games reference was possibly the funniest part of the film. Of course, it was also offensive, but somehow it was also entertaining. So, will our hero make it in time to vote? See for yourself. I can only say that this is a pretty good short film with an interesting twist at the end. It's the society and the people we interact with that shape us. Thumbs up for this short movie. Recommended.

It is election night in Denmark and the polls are close to closing. With a busy day behind him sending off blankets to war-torn countries, Peter has completely forgotten to vote and, being a very socially conscious citizen he sets out to try and get to the polls before they close. However he abandons his first taxi after he encounters racist views that he does not want to hear – but then he doesn't have a great deal of luck trying anything else.This is a great little short film that deals with a complex and difficult issue – racism, or rather the way we have of looking at people differently on the basis of their skin colour or ethnic origin. In a way I'm sure this film is more meaningful in Denmark than it is in other places because many films will capture the spirit of the nation as well as wider issues (many good British plays etc are very much set in the British experience) but I still got something from this despite not being a Dane! The film starts us off with a clear cut case of racism – few of us would support the taxi driver's views. However it then gets progressively more subtle and wide spread until Peter himself reveals himself to see others differently ('I doing it for you people' he tells the black employee). At this point we realize the point of the film – what is racism? What is acceptable forms of it and don't we all, regardless of colour, treat people a bit differently based on colour, dress, class etc?The film does not propose to answer these questions or offer solutions but rather just challenges us and leaves us to make our own minds up. In this way I appreciated it – it ends with a comic moment as Peter just slumps into accepting the world for what it is, but this is a mature way to leave it, not banging a drum but simply putting this situation out there and letting us see it for the complex issue that it is.A great short that is simple but very well written. The cast deliver their characters well but it is the steps down in behaviour that compares and contrasts 'racist' behaviour where it succeeds in showing us how complex the issue is and how wide spread it is, even if we don't see it we all do view others differently depending on their jobs, their race, their accent, their intelligence, their colour, their class, their clothes etc. That the film offers no solutions to this is not a failing – it is responsible and respectful.

A man has forgotten to vote, 10 minutes before closing the polls, he takes a cab but The Taxi-driver turn him on with racist comments, he change to others cabs - but the same situation occurs.Humorous short movie, that indicate that intolerance is found at many levels.