La Haine (1995) 24 hours in the life of three young people in the slums of Paris the day after a violent riot. After one of them finds a police officer's discarded weapon, their night seems destined to take a deadly turn. As much a realistic depiction of a divided community as it is a cinematic achievement, La Haine is required viewing. La Haine (Hatred), directed by 28-year-old Mathieu Kassovitz, is an intense look at racial tensions in a Parisian housing estate. While poverty, urban decay, drug dealing, and police brutality have been common themes in previous films, they have rarely had the sense of passion and urgency as shown in La Haine. The film shows the underbelly of France, which you won't find on a tourist map. Passion, dedication and commitment were well presented in La Haine. It slaps you in the face with its raw, raw intensity. Haine convincingly illustrates the harassment faced by young people in the suburbs, especially non-whites. But it also demonstrates the violent gun culture that pervades the surrounding environment, with dire consequences in the film's shocking finale. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Three friends of different ethnicities live in the Bluebell housing estates on the outskirts of Paris. A desolate, harsh and bleak cityscape with housing projects, Vinz (Vincent Cassel), is a working class Jew; Hubert (Hubert Kounde), the intelligent and thoughtful of the three, an African boxer; and Said (Said Taghmaoui), a younger but equally embittered Arab from North Africa. Filmed bluntly in black and white; Haine has some of my favorite film work. Kassovitz's directional style is so eloquent, using Spike Lee's rocket zoom and smooth steering to get the full view of the destruction. Popular hip hop music is used and heard throughout the film. Although there are so many references to Scorsese that you could almost call it a tribute, including Kassovitz's version of the famous Taxi Driver scene. This French milestone elegantly and honestly tells the story of the disillusioned young people living in the slums of Paris. But it is also a cinematic masterpiece and often hilarious entertainment. Everything works; the musical choices, the brilliant performances of the 3 protagonists, the beautiful photography and the impeccable direction. And, perhaps above all, the perfect script. The most critical quote in the film is the one that opens and ends with: "Have you heard about the boy who fell from a skyscraper?" As he went down from one floor to another, he kept repeating to reassure himself: so far so good... so far so good... so far so good. It doesn't matter how you fall. That's how you land. This directly reflects the content, structure and outcome of the film. It is a metaphor for the French government and is punctuated by the ticking of the clock. Kassovitz's metaphor for the banlieue as a social time bomb. Kassovitz's brilliance is further highlighted by the numerous awards received by La Haine, including Best Director (Cannes Film Festival 1995) Mathieu Kassovitz, Best Editing (César Awards) – Mathieu Kassovitz, Best Film (César Awards) – Mathieu Kassovitz, Best Producer (César Awards), Best Young Film (European Film Awards) – Mathieu Kassovitz, Best Foreign Language Film (Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards), Best Director (Lumières Award) – Mathieu Kassovitz, Best Film (Lumières Award) – Mathieu Kassovitz .Kassovitz began writing the screenplay for La Haine in 1993, the day Makome M'Bowole, a young Zairean, was killed while in police custody. In an interview he wondered “how a boy can get up there., 57(2), 26-40.