Genre Question - La Haine & City of God

How significant is Genre to your understand of your focus Films? Genre is a significant focal point for the majority of films created nowadays, and through genre a director is able to follow a complete set in which will met audience expectations. My two focus films COG (City of God) and LH (La Haine) are two films that contrast each other in terms of genre, such hat COG is a crime film, which is typical of all the key themes and conventions of the crime genre. However, LH, in terms of genre, does have elements of crime throughout the film however, LH is more of a drama/social realist film. LH focuses on conveying deeper messages of social and political issues the film bases it self round. COG is a film that focuses on achieving all of the key crime genre conventions, thus to offer an expectable and relatable film based on crime, yet set in Rio an unusual location. COG highlights both a crime figure, and also crime victims, this convention is typical of crime films and is achieved in COG through offering both sides of the crime genre. In COG this is achieved through the character Lil Ze, who represents the typical meglo-maniacal character who drives the narrative throughout the whole film. Also in COG, characters such as rocket and many of the people who live in the favelas represent the typical crime victim who suffers at the hand of somebody more powerful, in COGs case it is Lil Ze who’s POV we also adopt, thus get an overall look at the plot line and what drives the narrative- through violent characters committing serious crimes. In LH's case, the film highlights the crime victim but more through deeper political and social issues which are showcased through a realistic documentary style and tone. LH focuses on social realism, through characters that we are made to identify and empathise with (the trio). Also the film depicts the antagonists in a certain way (police), thus we are made to side with the trio, who although commit crimes, are ultimately victims of their environment, and further victims of the state, which is portrayed through corrupt police. LH conveys the message of crime victims in the projects, and manipulates us to believe completely they are only victims, thus the director achieves the goal of highlighting serious and concerning issues that are happening within French society.