World Cinema Exam Question

‘There is no such thing as a national cinema. There are just films that happen to be made in a particular country.’

Discuss the statement in relation to the films you have studied for this topic. [35]

This statement, while fairly definitive in its sentiment, is not without some merit. World cinema has become such an embraced part of the wider film industry that to say it is much more specific to one country would be to neglect its wider international audience. However, the contrary also has some credence, especially in regards to the two films I’ve studied: “La Haine” and “City of God”.

La Haine is a film I can definitely say would not have the same intended effect if it were set anywhere else than France. In regards to the statement that the film just happens to be set in a particular country, I would say that does not apply here and that the setting is essential in understanding La Haine’s key themes and its anti-establishment message.

In particular, the context of the film is important in understanding just why the trio of main characters feel so disillusioned by the French establishment. They are a marginalised group, due to their various ethnicities and the past conflicts between the French and these ethnic groups, but also due to modern France and the government’s attitude towards those living in the estates on the fringes of Paris. The character Hubert has reason to feel marginalised by such a government, a government whom in the past has excused the racial profiling and relentless killings of black men like himself by the police. This reflects real life unrest over a number of racially-aggravated killings such as Makome M’Bowole, itself inspiring this film. Said, another character, is of Algerian descendance, a country whose people were murdered by French police in the Setif Massacre of 1945. Vinz, the last of the trio, is a non-practising Jewish man, marginalised not only for his religion but also for his underclass status. These are characters with chips on their shoulders big enough to act out in retaliation against a government unwilling to class them as anything but ‘non-French’. 

As I have written, La Haine’s realist framework set up in the opening titles sequence reinforces that this film takes place in a reality informed by real-life events.