La Haine

La Haine(1995), directed by Mathieu Kassovitz is a criterion collection film. Throughout there are intense themes of brotherhood, poverty and moral principles. I would confidently categorise this film into drama and documentry. This is a french film surrounding the lives and experiences of three teenagers who were very good friends. As a group they faced many challenges together whist situated in Paris just after the end of a violent revolt in the city. 

The film was shot to create an intense atmosphere for the viewer and this made it quite intriguing as you were always interlocked with the actions and speeches of the characters. The film covers nine hours of the lives and experiences of these youngsters who were struggling to make a living with their families in the outskirts of Paris. 

This film is significant in history as it displayed the hidden crime in Paris which was disguised my a mascaraed of love and romance portrayed to the public audience. 1995 was one of the darkest and strangest years in recent French history.  France had been shocked by a wave of mysterious shootings and bombings, also spurred on by prime minster at the time stikes and protests were being held through out the country.

The duration of the film is in black and white. This technique was interestinly used and it could suggest some metaphorical reasons for doing this. I feel this was done to show the audience that the living situation in paris at the time were clearly unsuitable. The reasons i feel the cinematography supports this is because of the saying "It's in black and white" I feel the youths were extremely vulnerable to violence but nobody understood how this was affecting the next generation and "La Haine" was the recognition the country needed.

One shot imparticular that i found alluring was in the bathroom when vinz held his arm in the shape of a gun to the mirror. This was shot from the standpoint of the mirror, which is also what vinz is would have saw. His hand was slanted which shows that the gun symbolises how his friends and society view him rather than it being a weapon. I inferred this because it was incorrectly held which means murder isnt his only intention for the french police. insinuating that he is willing to jeprodise his future for respect from his community. This could also be his mind influenced by television, the audience are made aware of his emotiona towards the police and we recognise his vendetta of revenge if his friend Abdul dies.

In conclusion i felt although the film was in another langue i fluently understood the messages and meaning hidden within. I feel like this film was a cry for help from the teenagers and children of the city and it was showing how this was and riots going on at the time was shaping the future of the children and leading them to a life of theft and crime.