This short won the Academy Award for Short Film, Live Action. There will be spoilers ahead:
I have no intention of spoiling the ending of this magnificent short film, but I will talk about it in more or less general terms. It begins with some shots of various people on a typical day-a man trying to start a motor scooter, a woman and her son, two young men listening to music and talking and so on.
A tram pulls up and various of these people start to board. One of the young men, who is the "black rider" referred to in the title, gets on the tram before it starts moving, spots an open seat and asks if it's available. Getting silence and a sullen look from the elderly woman next to the open seat, he sits down.
Soon, the woman begins complaining, first in general terms about the decay of society at large and then more specific (not to mention grossly abusive and offensive) comments on the influx of foreigners (i.e., dark-skinned people). The young man remains passive and, at first, almost no one on board takes notice and the woman gets bolder.
Though people obviously become more visibly uncomfortable as her remarks grow coarser and more pointed, apart from one young man from somewhere like Morocco or Algeria, no one says anything to her. She then begins to insult the young man personally.
All of this builds to a singularly appropriate and fittingly hilarious ending. Karma has never looked so wonderful. This short has been on DVD and deserves to be seen and enjoyed. Most highly recommended.
I have no intention of spoiling the ending of this magnificent short film, but I will talk about it in more or less general terms. It begins with some shots of various people on a typical day-a man trying to start a motor scooter, a woman and her son, two young men listening to music and talking and so on.
A tram pulls up and various of these people start to board. One of the young men, who is the "black rider" referred to in the title, gets on the tram before it starts moving, spots an open seat and asks if it's available. Getting silence and a sullen look from the elderly woman next to the open seat, he sits down.
Soon, the woman begins complaining, first in general terms about the decay of society at large and then more specific (not to mention grossly abusive and offensive) comments on the influx of foreigners (i.e., dark-skinned people). The young man remains passive and, at first, almost no one on board takes notice and the woman gets bolder.
Though people obviously become more visibly uncomfortable as her remarks grow coarser and more pointed, apart from one young man from somewhere like Morocco or Algeria, no one says anything to her. She then begins to insult the young man personally.
All of this builds to a singularly appropriate and fittingly hilarious ending. Karma has never looked so wonderful. This short has been on DVD and deserves to be seen and enjoyed. Most highly recommended.