Two Cars, One Night is a 2003 New Zealand short film written and directed by Taika Waititi. The film is about two young boys and a girl meeting in the carpark of a rural pub in Te Kaha, New Zealand. What at first seems to be a relationship based on rivalry soon develops into a potential friendship.

Plot

One night, the Te Kaha hotel pub carpark is parked by a sedan with nine-year-old boys Ed and Romeo in it. As time passes, another sedan neighbours them, with the two adults, Koro and Tangata, exiting, leaving the child, 12-year-old Polly, alone. Romeo teases her, then vice versa. More time passes, and Romeo decides to know her more. In her car, Romeo finds out Polly has a plastic ring. As the parents exit the pub, Romeo and Polly express farewell. Polly gives the ring to Romeo, so that he will remember her, confiding that he will keep his promise to keep the ring. Romeo smiles and stands still looking at the car as it drives off.

Reception

In 2017, Jacob Oller of Film School Rejects praised the film's humour, writing that the film "allowed Waititi the perfect (ahem) vehicles for his brand of undercutting comedy, a couple of brash kids, in a quiet, poignant setting."

Awards

Nomination

In 2019, after receiving an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay with Jojo Rabbit, Waititi said jokingly "Losing to Andrea Arnold [at the Oscars], it took me probably 13 years just to get over that. Because what she did to me back then, it was disrespectful. Although Wasp was an incredible short film, she didn’t need to do that. And look at me now, Andrea", the director deadpanned. "I played the long game, man. I played the long game".