Exam Question - La Haine

How far does the impact of the films you have studied for this topic depend on distinctive uses of film techniques? [35 marks]

When we think of France, we think of romance, wine, the Eiffel tower and escargot. However, the film 'La Haine' shows the underbelly of France. Directed by Matthieu Kassovitz, it is set in the 1990's, during the regular riots between youths and police.

One of the techniques used in the film to create impact on the viewer is the way the director puts distance in between the characters. The opening scene shows this very well, as Saïd faces a line of police. By putting distance between the characters the director shows conflict between them. This technique reflects the riots at the time as this type of conflict was very common, and police often had to deal with youths causing damage. This technique is also evident on the rooftop, when the police try to evict the men from the roof. The camera is positioned as a mid-shot, with each force on either side of the shot. It is made obvious to me at the beginning of the film that the police are the 'bad guys' in La Haine. 

Another distinctive technique the director uses in La Haine to impact the viewer is the inclusion of American culture in his film. In the film there are references to western culture, and it is one of the main themes throughout the film. 

In this tracking shot the camera shows the mise-en-scene of the men having a morning BBQ on the roof. This reflects western culture because the clothes that the men wear and the way they act imply a 'hood' relationship between them all. Groups like this were common in films by American director Spike Lee, such as Do The Right Thing. This scene is an accurate representation of France during the riots. Youths would form gangs and attack police in groups such as the one portrayed in the film. This type of group activity can be linked to the theme of poverty in the film, as the men have no jobs. This theme is solidified when Saïd does not have enough money to buy a hotdog.
The gang culture is also shown further on in the film when the gang is in their 'headquarters' in a building. There are some black men breakdancing to hip-hop music, which emphasises the western culture of the film, as hip-hop music originated in America in the 90's. 

The theme of power is also represented in the film, mainly by Vinz. Vinz's idea of power arises when he is holding a gun. In this scene Vinz pulls out his gun on a police officer. Through his facial expression I can tell that he is debating whether to shoot the officer or not. Luckily Hubert stops him before he has time to think. This situation happens again, near the end of the film. Vinz is about to shoot a 'skinhead', but Hubert uses reverse psychology to stop him from doing so, as he knows Vinz won't do it. The moment is ironic, as we learn previously that Hubert is uneducated, and cannot read. This also shows that Hubert has power - power over Vinz, intelligence-wise. 
These scenes reflect the social issues in France at the time by implying that the police have no power over the youths, and that they struggled to control them.

During the film the director asks questions, but chooses to leave them unanswered. If noticed, this can create a large effect on the viewer. it will leave them wondering why these events happened. An example of this is when Saïd and Vinz enter Hubert's destroyed gym. Saïd poses the question: 'How did they get the car in? The doors aren't wide enough.' His question is never answered. This subtle element is a key part of the film, as it reflects the film as a whole. The entire film can be seen as a question, but with no answer. The question being the solution to stop all the issues seen in the film; racism, gang culture, violence etc. But when the film comes to an end, the viewer will realise that no solution has been found.
The film actually ends with Hubert and a police officer at gunpoint and we see Saïd close his eyes as a gunshot sounds.