Please Vote For Me

 

Story:

Though China's government is Communist, the third grade election for the prestigious position of Class Monitor at the Evergreen Primary School in Wuhan is being decided by a democratic vote. In this enlightening documentary, filmmaker Weijun Chen captures all the action as the three candidates -- two boys and a girl -- go all out to win: performing in a talent show, debating each other and delivering speeches to their classmates (NetFlix).

Review:

This documentary set in a third grade classroom is one of the ten long format documentaries chosen to be a part of the Democracy Steps Project spearheaded by Nick Fraser of BBC Storyville fame. This project has been described as the largest ever factual media event involving 44 participating international broadcasters with an estimated 300 million viewers. The title of the ambitious project is taken from the rather weighty subject explored in the documentaries chosen from around the world including India, Japan, USA, Denmark, Russia and in the case of Please Vote for Me, China. In this humorous take on the classic election-nail biter, three 8 year olds launch their campaigns to become the class monitor. Therein begins a mini experiment in democracy in a central Chinese elementary school in the world’s largest Communist country that will leave a trail of tears, lies and name-calling. The incumbent, Luo Lei is also the wiry class bully and the son of an important Police Inspector. Luo Lei’s autocratic style is in stark contrast to his challengers; the fast-talking tubby Machiavellian Cheng Cheng who professes that he will listen to his constituents and rule by fairness, and the sweet pigtailed approval-seeking Xio Fei, the only girl in the group. The pint sized candidates take to their task with relish but it is the sensitive Xio Fei who breaks down in tears from heckling at her inaugural speech by Cheng Cheng’s supporters, cracking under pressure and making it a two “boy” race. The two boys with the help of interfering parents engage in all forms of chicanery, including bribery and deal-making, and slug it out right down to the finish line. Director Weijun Chan manages to capture the tremendous exchange that takes place between the children as well as the children and their parents.  Can a 59 minute documentary about a junior school election campaign provide fresh insight into the wider politics of one of the 21st century’s largest free-market experiments? Frankly, the classroom setting as a choice for exploring the common denominators of democracy at work or their relevance within the country in which this documentary was set in can’t be taken seriously as adding any real value to the debate and is a self – indulgent choice in that regard . However as an example of supreme film-making and a fun and entertaining antidote to the crop of films dealing with the same subject this year, this short-listed Oscar doc. is one of the best.

Reviewed by Ewa Bigio for Documentary Film Online on March 21, 2008

In Conclusion: