Election 2
Election 2 (literal title: Black Society: Harmony is a Virtue), also known as Triad Election in the United States, is a 2006 Category III Hong Kong crime film directed by Johnnie To with a large ensemble cast including Louis Koo, Simon Yam and Nick Cheung. A sequel to the 2005 film Election, the film concludes the events of the first film centring on triad boss Lok, who struggles to get re-elected as his two-year term approaches its end. He faces competition from Jimmy, who wants to retire from the triad to be a legitimate businessman, but gets drawn into the conflict surrounding the election.
| Election 2 | |||||||||||
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Original Hong Kong theatrical poster | |||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 黑社會:以和爲貴 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 黑社会:以和为贵 | ||||||||||
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| Directed by | Johnnie To | ||||||||||
| Written by | Yau Nai-Hoi Yip Tin-Shing | ||||||||||
| Produced by | Dennis Law Johnnie To | ||||||||||
| Starring | Louis Koo Simon Yam Nick Cheung Cheung Siu-fai Lam Suet Gordon Lam | ||||||||||
| Cinematography | Cheng Siu-Keung | ||||||||||
| Edited by | Law Wing-Cheong Jeff Cheung | ||||||||||
| Music by | Robert Ellis-Geiger | ||||||||||
Production companies | Milkyway Image One Hundred Years of Film | ||||||||||
| Distributed by | China Star Entertainment Group | ||||||||||
Release date |
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Running time | 92 minutes | ||||||||||
| Country | Hong Kong | ||||||||||
| Languages | Cantonese Mandarin | ||||||||||
| Box office | US$1.8 million | ||||||||||
Election 2 enjoyed box office success in Hong Kong and being shown as an "Official Selection" at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. Afterwards, it became a popular hit on the international festival circuit.
Stephen Teo, author of Director in Action: Johnnie To and the Hong Kong Action Film (2007), wrote that "Election 2 is the most directly political film made in Hong Kong in the post-97 era."