Punk the Vote!
Encyclopedia
Punk the Vote! is a 73-minute 2006 Canadian
documentary
about the Canadian elections, and a hilarious and at the same time a critical take on Canadian politics punk-rock style, when two punks decide to run as independent candidates for the Canadian elections. The film is directed by Eric "Roach" Denis
of EyeSteelFilm
, a Montreal
-based documentary production company. It was produced by EyeSteelFilm in association with Canal D
Canadian specialty channel specializing in documentaries.
The film was shown in 2006 in the at the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma
in Montreal
and in 2007 at Les Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois
in Québec City
and Montréal
punks from Montreal, try to form their own political party, but run out of time due to Canada's electoral process
. Instead, they decide to campaign for political office as independent candidates
in a rich Montreal district called Outremont. As they hit the campaign trail in one of Canada's wealthiest communities, each wants to do it his own way. While Roach proposes to reform the "rotting electoral system" as he calls it, Starbuck's punk rock performance art is designed to shock the electorate into waking the up. Roach mounts a media campaign proposing proportional representation; Starbuck campaigns door-to-door wearing a leather cape and a dildo, telling voters: "If you like it up the a**, vote Liberal!".
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about the Canadian elections, and a hilarious and at the same time a critical take on Canadian politics punk-rock style, when two punks decide to run as independent candidates for the Canadian elections. The film is directed by Eric "Roach" Denis
Eric "Roach" Denis
Eric Denis better known as Eric "Roach" Denis is a Montreal-based Canadian documentary film maker and activist whose films deal with social justice, and particularly homelessness.-Earlier Life:...
of EyeSteelFilm
EyeSteelFilm
EyeSteelFilm is a Montreal-based Canadian cinema production company founded and co-owned by Daniel Cross and Mila Aung-Thwin, dedicated to socially engaged cinema, bringing social and political change through cinematic expression...
, a Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
-based documentary production company. It was produced by EyeSteelFilm in association with Canal D
Canal D
Canal D is a Canadian French language Category A specialty channel owned by Astral Media. Canal D focuses on documentary programming primarily in the form of documentary-style television series that focus on a variety of topics such as crime, biographies, nature, science, and more.-History:In June...
Canadian specialty channel specializing in documentaries.
The film was shown in 2006 in the at the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma
Festival du Nouveau Cinéma
The Festival du Nouveau Cinéma was known as the Montreal Festival of New Cinema and New Media until 2004. Founded in 1971, by Claude Chamberlan and Dimitri Eipides, it is an annual independent film festival held in Montreal and features independent films from around the world...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and in 2007 at Les Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois
Les Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois
The Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois is a festival created in 1982 to celebrate the cinematographic production of Quebec, Canada.The goal of the festival is to promote the Cinema of Quebec and its makers in order to support its culture and stimulate its industry. It occurs in February, to coincide...
in Québec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
and Montréal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
Synopsis
Roach and Starbuck, two hardcoreHardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
punks from Montreal, try to form their own political party, but run out of time due to Canada's electoral process
Elections in Canada
Canada holds elections for several levels of government: nationally , provincially and territorially, and municipally. Elections are also held for self governing First Nations and for many other public and private organizations including corporations and trade unions...
. Instead, they decide to campaign for political office as independent candidates
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
in a rich Montreal district called Outremont. As they hit the campaign trail in one of Canada's wealthiest communities, each wants to do it his own way. While Roach proposes to reform the "rotting electoral system" as he calls it, Starbuck's punk rock performance art is designed to shock the electorate into waking the up. Roach mounts a media campaign proposing proportional representation; Starbuck campaigns door-to-door wearing a leather cape and a dildo, telling voters: "If you like it up the a**, vote Liberal!".