This document provides an overview of the 1995 French film "La Haine" and its context. It discusses how the film was inspired by real events involving the deaths of African immigrants in police custody, which led to riots. It highlights tensions between citizens and non-citizens in French society. The film portrayed a grittier version of the Parisian banlieues compared to typical romanticized depictions of Paris. Overall, the document examines the film's commentary on racism, police brutality, and social issues in France.

2. Starter Task
• Read through Roger Ebert’s review of the film
‘La Haine’
• Highlight all references to: What do you
– Nationality think ‘La Haine’
is about?
– Race
– Representation (pick specific scenes
to support your
– French Society
opinions)
• Do you agree with this review?

3. Module Objectives
• During this module we will be looking at many
different aspects of French Law and Culture, as well as
perfecting our analytical skills learnt during FM1
Did you know:
• Throughout our study we must
always be aware that the French French policy towards non-
white ethnic groups has always
culture is Alien to us. been one of ‘assimilation’ with
• We can compare the experiences people expected to take on
French cultural norms and
of the characters with our own life values.
experiences, but we must also
research the ‘alien’ culture if we
are to fully appreciate the
messages and values of the film...

4. Module Objectives
• During this module we will be looking at many
different aspects of French Law and Culture, as well as
perfecting our analytical skills learnt during FM1
Did you know:
• Throughout our study we must
• How is this different from
always be aware that the French Britain?
culture is Alien to us. • What are the possible
• We can compare the experiences implications of such a policy?
• How will this impact our
of the characters with our own life reading of the film?
experiences, but we must also
research the ‘alien’ culture if we
are to fully appreciate the
messages and values of the film...

5. Area’s of study
Gentrification French
Narrative Immigration Law
Gender Roles
/ Policies
Culture vs. Sub-
Culture
French Empire
and Imperialism Representations:
La Ethnicity
Stereotypes in Haine Youth
the French Racism
Media Police & Racism
Les Banlieues
French Politics
Specifically: In-depth
Social Exclusion Jean-Marie Le Pen character studies

6. Learning Objectives
• Introduce the background to ‘La Haine’
• Analyse representations of Paris in both
contemporary films and La Haine
• Identify the key themes of La Haine

7. La Haine
• La Haine (HATE)
• Dir: Mathieu Kassovitz
• Cast:
– Vincent Cassel
– Hubert Koundé
– Saíd Taghmaoui
• Release: 31/5/95 (France)
17/11/95
• Winner Best Director at the 1995
Cannes film festival

8. • Which of the following phrases would you use to
describe La Haine?
Exciting Hopeless
Bleak
Heroic
Pessimistic Action - Packed
Tense Menacing
Real Sexist
Enjoyable
• For each word chosen, explain your reasoning
• What other words would you add to this list?

9. La Haine
• Kassovitz has said the idea of La Haine came to him
when a young black man named Makome M'Bowole
was shot and killed whilst in police custody
• Makome M'Bowole had been chained to a radiator
and shot at point blank range after allegedly arguing
with a police officer
• The police officer involved stated that the gun had
went off by accident as he was trying to intimidate
M’Bowole
• This murder resulted in a mass protest and even
terrorist activities against the police.
• M’Bowole’s “accidental” death is just one of over 300
mortal “slip-up’s” that have plagued the police since
1981

10. Bomb’s in Paris
“A bomb exploded in a smart In retaliation to
restaurant in Montmartre, an M’Bowole’s death a
unexploded grenade was found inside bomb was detonated
and the name of an African teenager in Montmartre, Paris
killed by police inscribed on a wall, AFP soon after.
reports from Paris.
An anonymous caller claimed the
grenade 'was destined for the police,'
but did not claim responsibility for the
bombing or for any group. 'Makome'
was written on the wall outside,
referring to Makome M'Bowole, a Monday, 19 April 1993
Zairean youth shot dead this month
while being interrogated.”

11. La Haine
• The case of Malik Ouessekine is another
important influence on the production of La
Haine and direct references to this case can be
seen during the opening montage
• The real riot footage was shot in 1986 in
response to Ouessekine’s death
• Malik Oussekine was beaten to death by police
during a mass protest against proposals to give
Universities more power in student selection
• Jacques Chirac, President at the time of
Oussekine’s death withdrew the plans as a result

12. La Haine
• Filmmaker Matthew Kassovitz stated
‘La Haine is an anti-police film and
that is how I meant it to be
understood.’ Indeed, when it was
premiered at Cannes, the police on
security duty there turned their back
on the cast and crew of the film.
Kassovitz’ portrayal of the French
police leaves no doubt as to how he
sees them and their role in the
violence in La Haine.

13. Did La Haine predict the riots of
95?
• Hubert’s ongoing joke of “A man jumped off a building...” is
essential to our understanding of the film
• What or who do you think Hubert is
“Heard about the guy who fell off
referring to when he says this? the sky scrapper?
On his way past each floor he
kept saying to reassure himself
• On June 8 and 9, 1995, shortly after “So far, so good...
the release of the film, there were So far, so good...”
violent riots in the Butte-Verte cité,
in Noisy-le-Grand, east of Paris,
provoked by yet another death of a
young beur, Belkacem Belhabib,
who crashed his motorbike while
being chased by the police.

14. Paris Vs. paris
• For a century films have stamped in to our brains the Seine,
Notre Dame, the Arc De Triomphe, and the Eiffel Tower.
• They have become symbols of ‘The City of Lights’
• Make notes on how Paris is represented in the following trailer
and extracts from ‘Casablanca’ (1942)
• How do these representations of Paris differ from those seen in
La Haine? • Complete all sections of
your facebook profile
pages using the clips,
trailers and La Haine as
evidence

15. Summary
• La Haine is an anti-police film inspired by the deaths of African
immigrants Makome M'Bowole & Malik Ouessekine whilst in
police custody
• The death of both men led to riots and mass protests in Paris
city centre and highlighted the injustices being carried out
against non-white members of French society
• In France people are defined as either citizens or non-citizens
• An person born in France to foreign parents must wait until
adulthood before they can apply for their French Citizenship
• The film prophesised the 1995 Paris riots and as a result
received fierce criticism from many areas of the French, middle
classes

16. Paris Vs. paris
• Watch the following clips from
– Midnight in Paris
– Casablanca

17. • The Parisian banlieues, long absent from the
dominant French imaginary, have materialized
as spatialized, racialized markers of political-
economic crisis, social fragmentation, crime and
violence.

18. The Director
• Mathieu Kassowitz
• Born in Paris 1967