What Mathieu Kassovitz’ La Haine meant to me in 2020.
La Haine has saved my life, in more ways than one. So, I have decided to dedicate my last piece of the year to Mathieu Kassovitz’s classic on its 25th anniversary and what it has meant for me in 2020.
On April 6th 1993, a young Black man named Makome M’Bowole was devastatingly murdered in police custody. The aftermath of this horrific event led to uprisings across France and an enraged Mathieu Kassovitz partook in some of the protests. The murder of Makome M’Bowole was ruled ‘accidental’ which further upset Kassovitz, leading him to write the script for La Haine. He was well aware of the “accidental” deaths of young Black and Brown people at the hands of the police in France and felt a responsibility to discuss it.
The opening montage of La Haine is a collection of riot footage from the 80s and mid 90s, the footage highlighted the huge outrage Kassovitz wanted to present to the world.
La Haine was filmed in a banlieue neighbourhood in Paris, these neighbourhoods are often described as working-class, immigrant, dysfunctional and crowded suburbs surrounding French cities. These areas receive hostile and demonising attitudes at the hands of the media, police and the government. One Parisian banlieue is the home of three protagonists: Vinz, Said and Hubert. They all come from diverse ethnic backgrounds and are products of their environment. The collective struggles of these three men are synonymous to the same struggles faced by people who still live in these banlieues.
My home, London is home to a variety of banlieues, neglected by councils, overpoliced by law enforcement and places that hide the poorest members of our society.
La Haine was released twenty five years ago and still is the perfect coupling of rebellion and art. Paris and London are two incredibly similar capitals that breathe culture and diversity, but are also recognised for their roles on the global stage, Mathieu Kassovitz decided to stray from the beautification of Europe and portray the difficulties faced by young Parisian men. La Haine is an allegory of the most neglected in our society, the ones who live in these widely adored cities. The film is radical and uncompromising, focusing on the adversities faced by Hubert, Vinz and Said in their concrete jungle, a concrete jungle they have been banished to, only to constantly be persecuted by the police.
La Haine simply translates to hate, the simplicity of the title enhances the black and white world of La Haine. It is a short yet effective title, focusing on the idea of hate and who the hate is between. Is it about the hate of minorities? Is it about the hate for the poor? Is it about the hate for the police? This film is a shift from the contemporary view of Paris, as the city of love. Paris is now considered the city of hate. The film is a mirror, reflecting the deeply entrenched problems of institutions that harm marginalised communities. The tale although following the three main protagonists and their lives, uses the brutal murder of a young man from the banlieue as a point of tension. Essentially, the drama is about whether the trio are going to avenge their friend and display an act of retaliation. Previously, I referred to the black and white colour scheme that goes on throughout the film, which exacerbates the divisive mood. A black and white aesthetic to match the trio and their two choices, avenging their friend? Or to not avenge their friend?
After watching La Haine multiple times in the comfort of my room, I went to a screening at The Castle cinema in search of some hope and familiarity. And although, I have watched it countless times this year, my most memorable viewing was in front of this 45-foot wide screen. I saw the symbolic tracking shots in depth and heard the incessant ticking in the background of certain scenes.
This film is as relevant as it was in 1995. The current year is 2020 and while we are nearing the end, I can’t stop but to think how exhausting 2020 has been. This has been a year filled with unprecedented trauma, grief and constant emotional turbulence. It is enough to make me wonder whether God has forgotten about the plight of humanity. La Haine is an increasingly scary, relevant depiction of police brutality and poverty in the slums of Paris, a stark reminder is that although this film is twenty five years old, La Haine still rings true and its story means more than I could ever describe. The same issues it addressed all those years ago remain deeply rooted problems that continue to plague our society.
‘Does God believe in us?’ is a question posed by a random old man in a restroom. He uses it to contrast the age-old question ‘do you believe in God’? The main characters: Vinz, Said and Hubert are baffled by the intentions of the old man and what he means. Consequentially, they become consumed by his allegory, a moral tale about actions and consequences, an allegory about choosing to do the right thing and what the right thing is? I used the question ‘does God believe in us?’ as my title to evoke as many thoughts as Kassovitz did each time I watched La Haine, thoughts mostly about suffering and struggle. Considering the emotional turmoil of this year, police brutality has been documented at record numbers. The circulation of Black death and law enforcement abusing their power led to me to question my faith. It made me question all the suffering people are subjected to and it made me wish God intervened in our troubles.
La Haine gave me the faith I felt I was missing. it gave me hope. This classic drama has provided not just myself but many others with a cloak of belief in the strength of people who can change the world.
La Haine will always be my parachute.
