How influential was neo-realism?

Italian Neo-realism signified the post WW2 reaction of Italian filmmakers against the censorship of Mussolini’s regime, and as a statement against the predominant ‘telefoni bianchi’ (white telephone) films of the 1930s and 40s. “Italian Neo-realism has been seen as a moment of decisive transition in the tumultuous aftermath of world war which produced a stylistically and philosophically distinctive cinema” (Shiel, 2006, pg. 1). The cultural and cinematic shift that Italian neo-realism introduced was seen as “a symbol of the people’s will to be free” (Brunetta, 2003, pg. 109), and captured on screen the immense devastation and depression that followed Italy’s fascist past. As the name suggests, Neo-realism was all about capturing realism; social realism to be precise, with general characteristics of “realistic treatment, popular setting, social content, historical actuality, and politic commitment” (Bondanella, 2001, pg. 31). This blog will focus on the origins of Italian Neo-realism through texts such as Rome, Open City (Rossellini, 1945) and highly regarded Neo-realist texts such as Bicycle Thieves (De Sica, 1948), analysing the significance these texts have within the Neo-realist movement, and discuss the influence such texts have had on cinema and culture throughout the years up until the present.

“By 1944-1945, Italian film could no longer be ‘suppressed’” (Liehm, 1984, pg.60). Rome, Open City is considered one of the first Italian Neo-realist films, given that shooting began whilst Italy was still under German control. Liehm, a key academic within studies of Italian Cinema and Neo-realism, commented on the influential impact the text had within Italy and its people; “Open City is a film about death and an awareness of the tragic in ordinary life […] The novelty of Open City lies in its transformation of art into information. Rossellini provides the viewer with a real memory of something the viewer has not actually experienced” (Liehm, 1984, pg. 63-65). Rome, Open City essentially opened the floodgates for Italian filmmakers to make films such as Bicycle Thieves, and further the conversation regarding the effects of post-war life and the depression of everyday people, and speak freely without censorship.

Bicycle Thieves tells the story of Ricci, an everyday man who requires a bicycle to be able to work; however when his bike is stolen, he must hunt down his prized possession to maintain his employment and provide for his family. De Sica uses the bicycle as a plot device to tell a much dark and neo-realistic tale; “Such deceptive simplicity, or self-concealing art, makes the film, like Antonio’s bicycle, the bearer of far heavier and more sophisticated cargo than its fragile exterior would immediately suggest” (Marcus, 1986, pg. 56). De Sica’s text can be seen as an attempt to convey a grounded and humanizing message to the audience that reflected the time: “the film may also be seen as a pessimistic and fatalistic view of the human condition, as well as a philosophical parable on absurdity, solitude, and loneliness” (Bondanella, 2001, pg. 59). The following clip shows the ‘fatalistic’ view that De Sica shows within Bicycle Thieves, when a lifeless boy is pulled from the river.

The qualities of Italian Neo-realism filmmaking have provided influence throughout various movements within cinema, particularly the French and the British New Wave respectively. The French New Wave, a movement that sprung into creation in the late 1950s, was heavily inspired particularly by the Neo-realist style of location shooting; “One decisive New Wave action was to move away from studio-bound cinema. The New Wave thereby inscribed itself into a Rossellini-inspired gesture, following in the tradition of Rome Open City (1945)” (Marie, 1997, pg. 81). The British New Wave was also heavily inspired and influenced by the filming techniques and practices used by Italian filmmakers during the Neo-realism period. Amanda Lay comments extensively on the strong influences that British New Wave filmmakers took away from Neo-realism; “it is perhaps Italian Neo-realism which most influenced the British New Wave directors […] these (British New Wave) films are variously described as working class realism […] or simply as social realist texts” (Lay, 2002, pg. 60).

Whilst the movement of Italian Neo-realism may not have inspired a political response from fellow European countries, it is clear to see the technical and filmmaking aspects that were found within Rossellini, De Sica and other Neo-realist directors were seen as an important. These new approaches to filmmaking were crucial when it came to the birth of other movements in cinema; “The influence of Italian neo-realism can be seen in a host of different national new waves that rippled out across Europe in the late 1950s and 1960s” (Lay, 2002, pg. 60).

 

Word Count: 468

 

Peer Review:

After a detailed look at my fellow student’s blogs, I have decided that in cohesion with the marking criteria (subject content, presentation, tone, research and formalities), UP903550’s blog is the best overall. The subject content shown throughout demonstrates great knowledge of the topic and set films, and the presentation complements this with interesting, relevant videos and captivating images. The blog shows a clear development in experience, with both use of tone and the extent of research increasing with each blog post. The formalities of the blog, such as spelling and grammar, are near flawless throughout, and provide a clear and engaging reading for those that may wish to read the blog. The use of strong primary and secondary sources used provide a more thorough argument, allowing for clearer conclusions to be made. The use of tools such as hyperlinks have been used effectively, to provide readers with an extension of knowledge and research around a particular subject, and support the blog’s integrity as a well-researched piece. Overall, this is a fantastic example of how to present and execute an undergraduate student blog, and is a shining example of a student who has carefully examined their feedback and the marking criteria to create an excellent blog.

 

Bibliography:

 

Bondanella, P. (2001). Italian Cinema: from Neorealism to the present. New York: The Continuum.

Brunetta, G.P. (2003). The History of Italian Cinema: A guide to Italian film from its origins to the Twenty-first century. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.

De Sica, V. (1948). Bicycle Thieves [Motion Picture]. Italy: Ente Nazionale Industrie Cinematografiche.

Lay, S. (2002). British Social Realism: from documentary to Brit Grit. London: Wallflower Press.

Liehm, M. (1984). Passion and Defiance: Film in Italy from 1942 to the Present. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Marcus, M. (1986). Italian film in the light of Neorealism. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.

Marie, M. (1997). The French New Wave: An artistic school. Paris: Editions NATHAN.

Rossellini, R. (1945). Rome, Open City [Motion Picture]. Italy: Minerva Film SPA.

Shiel, M. (2006). Italian Neo-realism: Rebuilding the city. London: Wallflower Press.

The Devil’s Backbone: More Fantasy than Fact?

The fascist Nationalist victory of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) led by General Francisco Franco against the Republican government was detrimental to both the Spanish people and Spanish Cinema. A 36-year dictatorship by Franco resulted in the heavy censorship of Spanish filmmaking, with themes such as poverty and adultery banned by the Catholic Church during this time. ‘Cine Político’, a movement during the 50s and 60s, saw Spanish filmmakers of the time (Bardem, Berlanga) try to critique Francoism as much as the implemented censorship would allow; this later inspiring filmmakers such as Guillermo del Toro to challenge and question the Spanish Civil War and the Franco era within their films. “The variety of representations depicted in Spanish Cinema have helped to construct a collective memory of the conflict, creating a sociocultural imaginary associated with the Civil War.” (Coronado Ruiz, 2016, p. 32). This blog will focus on del Toro’s “The Devil’s Backbone” (2001), questioning whether his representation of the Civil War could be seen as more fantasy rather than fact.

“The Devil’s Backbone” (del Toro, 2001) sets itself in rural Spain during 1939, the final year of the civil war, and the beginning of the Franco Dictatorship. A republican orphanage ran by Dr Casares and Carmen sees the arrival of Carlos, a young boy, who after being assigned the same bed as recently deceased Santi begins to witness a Ghost uttering the same message, “Many of you will die”. The depiction of the Ghost within “The Devil’s Backbone” can be seen as del Toro’s technique to bring an overarching fantasy tale to a topic of Spanish history that could still be seen as raw; “To admit the presence of a ghost is to establish a relationship between fantasy and national trauma” (Ibarra, 2012, p. 56). The use of a ghost character within the text can be used as a metaphor of the Spanish Civil War, suggesting that the past has never really been answered or put to rest, with the lasting impact still lingering. This is supported in an interview with del Toro, in which he says, “everything is black and white or blue except the blood, that’s the only colour” (2006). This can be seen in the clip, where Santi the Ghost is witnessed properly for the first time by Carlos, with a bloody wound seeping from his temple.

Another device that del Toro uses to make a statement on the Spanish Civil War is the use of the unexploded bomb in the courtyard. “A remnant of an airborne attack from the Spanish Civil War, this seemingly dead artefact constantly reminds the characters of the armed combat happening outside the walls […] the ghost and the bomb are both framed by a threshold […] they both link the past and the present, inside and outside, the living and the dead” (Ibarra, 2012, p. 57). The use of the bomb to coincide with the ghost character shows that del Toro is trying to show the viewer that the Spanish Civil War is like a moment stuck in time; for the characters within the text, it’s a constant reminder of the threat and fear of the world outside the orphanage, but for the viewer, it is a suggestion that the remnants of the Civil War and Franco’s dictatorship are still looming and unanswered. The opening scene of The Devil’s Backbone contains a monologue, describing ‘what is a ghost?’, supporting the idea of a moment stuck in time.

In conclusion, despite the fact del Toro sticks with his fantastical auteur tropes in ‘The Devil’s Backbone’, the film is undeniably a commentary on the Franco dictatorship and the Civil War, paying homage to the efforts of filmmakers during ‘Cine Político’ and challenging the horrors committed during the time. By using the concept of ghost to retell the hardships of the citizens of the Civil War; del Toro allows the viewer to begin the film with one expectation, and leave with a whole new knowledge and understanding of the time. “By taking fantasy as a scenario of desire, the ghost becomes the pivotal element in the film […] where the subject is able to define itself in a community with a shared traumatic past” (Ibarra, 2012, p.56)

 

Word Count: 538

Bibliography:

Coronado Ruiz, C. (2016). Postmemory of the Spanish Civil War: Cinematographic constructions of the conflict in the twenty-first century. Catalan Journal of Communication & Cultural Studies, 8(1), 31–43. https://doi.org/10.1386/cjcs.8.1.31_1

del Toro, G. (Director). (2001). The Devil’s Backbone [Motion Picture]. Spain/Mexico: Canal+/ Good Machine

Ibarra, E. A. (2012). Permanent hauntings: spectral fantasies and national trauma in Guillermo del Toro’s El espinazo del diablo [The Devil’s Backbone]. Journal of Romance Studies, 12(1), 56–71. https://doi.org/10.3167/jrs.2012.120105

Kermode, M. (2006) Guillermo del Toro. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2006/nov/21/guardianinterviewsatbfisouthbank

 

 

Is Švankmajer Responding to Puppetry or Politics?

The use of puppetry in filmmaking has occupied a vast populous of Czech-made films, with the origins of puppetry dating back all the way to the 17^th Century. The work of filmmakers such as Jiři Trnka used this artform during “The Thaw” to express political commentary around particular social issues. As Holloway states, “their popularity with the masses had as much to do with politics as with art. They were often an expression of protest and revolt” (1983, p.229). This blog post will analyse filmmaker and surrealist Jan Švankmajer’s “Little Otik” (2000), delving into whether or not this text is a response to Czech Puppetry or Politics.

“The Thaw” during the 1950’s and 60’s was a key time for the liberation of arts and a period of freedom of expression for Eastern European countries. The death of Stalin meant Khrushchev came to power, a leader who supported and adored cinema. This is supported by Daniel, who says “the regime’s pledge […] to defend national integrity and cultural traditions” (1983, p. 53). Filmmakers leaped at the chance to make politically focused satire based around previous regimes, something that would have been previously censored. A key example came from Jiří Trnka, a puppeteer and filmmaker, who released ‘The Hand’ (1965), a short film about a potter who is persuaded by an ominous hand to make its desired creation. “The Hand was one of the most overt attacks on Stalinism to have been made in the 1960’s” (Hames, 2012); “The social and political significance of some animated films made in East Europe reached well beyond national boundaries to speak to society and mankind as a whole” (Holloway, 1983, p. 227). The Hand borders on surrealism with the use of live action hands and puppetry techniques, and can be seen as Trnka tackling the political system with themes such as “suppression of the human spirit” (Holloway, 1983, p. 235), due to the suppression and censorship of the Stalin era.

 

 

Jan Švankmajer, a member of the Czech Surrealists and a puppetry influenced filmmaker, also used his films to tackle political themes; Hames supports this, saying “he regards all his films as ‘politically engaged” (2008, p. 85). Švankmajer would occasionally write film texts directly pursuing the political debate, for example “The Death of Stalinism in Bohemia” (1990). The key text, “Little Otik” (Švankmajer, 2000), can be seen on the surface as a traditional Czech fairy-tale, a common theme for Czech films. In it, an infertile couple will to life a tree root, however its insatiable appetite brings chaos to those around it.

The deeper meaning of the text however is deeply rooted in consumerism, gluttony and capitalism; In an interview with Peter Hames, Švankmajer says “Otik is the product of their desire, their rebellion against nature. […] materialisation of desire, of rebellion […] it is impossible to live without rebelling against the human lot. That is the essence of freedom” (“Bringing up baby”, 2002). This suggests that the greed and willing of the mother and father to bring to live this inanimate object mirrors the consequences of greed and gluttony under the age of Stalinism, and this is Švankmajer’s interpretation of this. This can be seen in the clip, where the father goes to kill a giant Otik in the basement and meets his demise.

Švankmajer’s political responses in Little Otik respond to an age of censorship within the Czech political system long gone; Petek supports this, saying “Little Otik articulates the fact that, at the beginning of the 21^st century, such a space no longer existed between two opposing socio-political models of society […] It is now a space in between the global present reality of consumerism and commodification and the local memory of the past” (2009, p.83). The actions of consumerism and commodification can be seen in the first scene of Little Otik, where the father overlooks a street market of babies being collected from water and sold, suggesting that the babies are seen as nothing more than a commodity and a consumer product.

In conclusion, Švankmajer’s work is as politically respondent to that of Trnka’s during The Thaw, and although both works are a homage to the history of Czech puppetry, Švankmajer’s Little Otik cannot be overlooked as a reaction to previous political regimes and Stalinism. His roots as a Surrealist meant that puppetry was a perfect way to respond to the political climate; “Švankmajer seemed to turn inwards to Czech traditions […] marionette theatre, graphics and of course Surrealism, a survivor of Stalinism” (O’Pray, 2008, p.41)  

 

Word Count: 536

 

Bibliography:

 

Daniel, F. (1983). The Czech Difference. In D.W. Paul (ed.), Politics, Art, and Commitment in the East European Cinema (1^st Ed., pp. 49-56). London: The Macmillan Press Ltd.

Hames, P. (2002). Bringing Up Baby. Retrieved from: http://www.kinoeye.org/02/01/hames01.php

Hames, P. (2008). The Core of Reality: Puppets in the Feature Films of Jan Švankmajer. In P. Hames (ed.), The Cinema of Jan Švankmajer: Dark Alchemy (2^nd Ed, pp 83-103). London: Wallflower Press.

Hames, P. (2009). Czech and Slovak Cinema : Theme and tradition. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com

Hames, P. (2012). THE HAND THAT ROCKED THE KREMLIN: Jiri Trnka brought fairytales to life in spellbinding puppet animation – until his last film took on Stalinism. SIGHT AND SOUND, (4), 46. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsbl&AN=RN308395101&site=eds-live

Holloway, R. (1983). The Short Film in Eastern Europe: Art and Politics of Cartoons and Puppets. In D.W. Paul (ed.), Politics, Art, and Commitment in the East European Cinema (1^st Ed., pp. 225-251). London: The Macmillan Press Ltd.

O’Pray, M. (2008). Jan Švankmajer: A Mannerist Surrealist. In P. Hames (ed.), The Cinema of Jan Švankmajer: Dark Alchemy (2^nd Ed, pp 40-66). London: Wallflower Press.

Švankmajer, J. (Director). (1990). The Death of Stalin in Bohemia [Motion Picture]. Czechoslovakia: First Run Features.

Švankmajer, J. (Director). (2000). Little Otik/Otesánek [Motion Picture]. Czech Republic: Zeitgeist Films.

Trnka, J. (Director) (1965). The Hand [Motion Picture]. Czechoslovakia: Krátký Film Praha.

 

 

 

Was ‘A Taste of Honey’ a typical film of the British New Wave?

The British New Wave was a movement within British Cinema, prominent between 1959 and 1963. The key focuses of this movement were to present the working class lives of British citizens, and promote issues affecting young people of its time. It also focused on realism and on location shooting. A key example of a text which presents these characteristics of the New Wave is A Taste Of Honey (1961), a film directed by Tony Richardson. This blog post will focus on the accurate depiction of the working class, and whether A Taste Of Honey represents a typical British New Wave film.

The British New Wave was pioneered by Tony Richardson, Lindsay Anderson and Karel Reisz, a group of filmmakers who originated from the “Free Cinema” era of British Filmmaking; this was a movement which mainly focused on a documentary style of filmmaking. Tony Richardson contributed to the British New Wave catalogue with Look Back In Anger (1959) and A Taste Of Honey (1961). The focus film, A Taste Of Honey, has many characteristics that can be attributed to the British New Wave. Aldgate and Richards defined the British New Wave as “social realist films which seemed to signal a renaissance of seriousness and contemporary relevance within British Cinema” (1999, pg. 185)

The first for example is the use of on-location shooting. Peter Hutchings has said British New Wave films were “Often shot on location in cities in the Midlands or the north of England […] generally seen by critics of the time as a step forward for British Cinema” (2002, pg. 146). The reasoning behind this could be seen as an attempt to portray social realism on the screen, and also give an accurate depiction of the working class lifestyle. The on-shot location style of filming by Richardson could be considered as clearly influenced from his documentary making past; “adopting the techniques of documentary realism to give his films a sense of authenticity and immediacy” (Shail, 2008, pg. 114). A Taste Of Honey was one of the first films to be shot entirely on location (Hutchings, pg. 148). A picture below shows a behind the scenes look at Richardson’s on location filming, specifically a scene in which the protagonist Jo talking with Geoffrey in front of an industrial building, highlighting how the working class is almost unescapable, and bolstering the idea of social realism with the film.

A Taste Of Honey also uses its cast of characters and narrative to portray the lives of the working class in Northern England during the 1950s and 60s, and the daily struggles that they face. Wallace has described the narrative as “a populist discourse of the ordinary that values the masses, the voices of the common folk, the pursuit of typical life […] an ordinary survival strategy used by marginalised individuals” (2017). Richardson uses the cast, specifically the mother, Helen, and the daughter, Jo, to depict the idea of personal self-interest, and the confrontation between middle and working class. Jo is established as an open minded individual, which can be seen through her positive interactions with different races and sexuality. Meanwhile, her mother, Helen, is quick to put down other races, and chase the middle class lifestyle with her partner, Peter. Jo’s reaction when pregnant is described as “neither ecstatic nor devastated” (Wallace, 2017). Her resiliency can also be seen through her admiration to power through after the abandonment from partner Jimmy, and the eventually departure from Geoffrey. The ending scene in which Jo can be seen smiling whilst holding a sparkler can be seen as the determination and strength of the working class to power through adversity, and the willingness for prosperity.

A Taste Of Honey is an important text from British New Wave, simply because of how powerful the use of its On location shooting is to convey the message the film is trying to tell, whilst also giving an accurate depiction of the working class and social realist ideology.

Word Count: 526

 

Bibliography:

Aldgate, A. and Richards, J. (1999). Best of British: Cinema and Society from 1930 to the Present (New Ed.). New York: I.B. Taurus and Co. Ltd.

Hutchings, P. (2002). Beyond the New Wave: Realism in British Cinema, 1959 – 63. In R. Murphy (ed.), The British Cinema Book (2^nd Ed., pp. 146 – 152). London: BFI Publishing.

Richardson, T. (Director). (1959). Look Back In Anger [Motion picture]. United Kingdom: Woodfall Film Productions.

Richardson, T. (Director). (1961). A Taste of Honey [Motion picture]. United Kingdom: Woodfall Film Productions.

Shail, R. (2008). A Taste of Honey (1961). In S. Barrow & J. White (Eds.), Fifty Key British Films (pp. 113-117). London: Routledge.

Wallace, L. K. (2017), This One Is Different Because It’s Ours: The Ordinary, The Extraordinary, and The Working‐Class Artist in A Taste of Honey. J Pop Cult, 50, 778-795. doi:10.1111/jpcu.12575

New German Cinema: Focused on Germany?

New German Cinema represented a reinvigoration of German Cinema from the 1960s onwards. Director Wim Wenders, among others, created some of the key films of the era, one being the 1987 release Wings Of Desire. The aim of this blog post will be to analyse this film and the accuracy of its portrayal of Germany and German lifestyle post 1945 and during the Cold War.  

The Impact of WW2 ran through the core of German cinema post-1945. For a while, professionals from UFA, a prominent German film and television establishment, considered German cinema to be a “closed shop industry” for a large amount of time, and so German cinema for the most part had become dwarfed by the American cinematic dominance during this period. The emergence of New German Cinema following the Oberhausen Manifesto in 1962 allowed for a fresh and younger wave of directors to come to the forefront of German filmmaking, creating films documenting the effects of post war civilian life and the new challenges that the Cold War presented to the German people. Corrigan described the impact of the past as “Cultural Schizophrenia that overwhelmed Germany after the Second World War” (1983, pg. 1).

One of the key filmmakers who spearheaded the New German Cinema era was Wim Wenders, a German Director who created films such as Paris, Texas (1984) and Wings of Desire (1987), the second being a film described as a “homecoming piece” (Graf, 2002, pg. 113) representing his views of Berlin and Germany during the Cold War. Wings of Desire (1987) follows Damiel, an angel who falls in love with a trapeze artist, Marion. It follows the lovestruck angel throughout cold war berlin, documenting his wish to become human. Wenders described the film as “A film that might convey something of the history of the city since 1945” and “wanting to make a film about people – people here in Berlin – that considered the one perennial question: how to live?” (1988, pg.74-75).

In one scene from Wings Of Desire (1987), the hardships of Cold War Berlin are depicted especially well when the man commits suicide by jumping from the building. During this time, many citizens would look for escapism and ignore the current state and dark past. Before his final leap, the man says “Berlin means nothing to me”; this suggests the views of the cities’ citizens were depressive and cold, unhappy with the current state they were living in. It also suggests that the citizens were failing to cope with the past; this is supported by Bordo, who says “Berlin was the most terrible place on earth […] due to the Nazi state that had unleashed utter devastation against humanity itself from there” (2008, pg. 87).

The film also depicts the forms of escapism that were less destructive, specifically the love interest Marion, a woman who feels trapped with her current residence and is portrayed as a lost soul trapped in her own self-doubt, saying “you can’t get lost, you always end up at the wall” Her trapeze circus act and the lengthy Nick Cave concert scene gives the viewer a break from the harsh reality of Berlin, and shown in colour giving a vibrant and positive atmosphere. Between this scene and the aforementioned, it shows Wenders wanted to highlight the indecisiveness and erraticness of Berlin residents, a behaviour that ties to New German Cinema; “the inability of many New German films to tell a straight story could be seen to represent its viewers difficulties in constructing a usable narrative through which they could understand their country’s traumatic recent past.” (Garwood, 2002, p.205).

In conclusion, Wenders Wings of Desire is a visual memoir of a Cold War Germany that uses its black and white switch to colour filter to show the emotive feelings of Berlin residents, and their attempts to forget its past and rebuild for a better future. His film parallels the aims of New German Cinema; “New German Cinema’s eagerness to confront the past” (Garwood, 2002, p.206).

 

Bibliography:

Bordo, J. (2008). The Homer of Potsdamerplatz—Walter Benjamin in Wim Wenders’s Sky Over Berlin/Wings of Desire, a Critical Topography. Images: Journal of Jewish Art & Visual Culture, 2(1), 86–109. https://doi.org/10.1163/187180008X408618

Corrigan, T. (1983). New German Film (Rev. Ed.). Texas: University of Texas Press.

Garwood, I. (2002). The Autorenfilm in Contemporary German Cinema. In T. Bergfelder, E. Carter & D. Gokturk (Eds.), The German Cinema Book (pp. 202-210) London: British Film Institute

Graf, A. (2002). The Cinema of Wim Wenders the Celluloid Highway. London: Wallflower Press.

Wenders, W (Director). (1987). Wings of Desire [Motion Picture]. Germany: Road Movies Filmproduktion.

Wenders, W. (1988). The Logic of Images. Frankfurt: Verlag der Autoren.

La Haine: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity: For Everyone?

In 1995, La Haine (Kassovitz) was released, a film following 3 youths from different racial and cultural backgrounds, as they navigate their world of civil and racial unrest whilst living in a low economic and demonized space known as a “Banlieue”. This aim of this post is to show the accuracy of Kassovitz’ portrayal of a Banlieue and its inhabitants, and how the promises of the French flag failed to reach those living there.

 

The tricolour flag of France holds 3 pledges that all citizens are entitled to; Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. However throughout certain periods with French history, this hasn’t always been upheld to its citizens, specifically those coming from certain racial and cultural backgrounds. Examples of which can be seen within ‘Banlieue’ districts, low-income, poor infrastructure estates built on the outskirts of major cities. From the 1960s onwards, France went through a heavy period of migration, many coming from French colonized countries. The result of this caused great racial tension and subsequent riots within these Banlieues. In the public eye the ‘social ills’ of the banlieues have come to be intimately linked to immigration (Jorholt, 2017, p.250).

 

The inspiration for writing La Haine came to Kassovitz after the death of Makome M’Bowole whilst in police custody in 1993; more than 300 mortal slip ups recorded since 1981 meant that Kassovitz felt like it was common enough for its story to be told (Vincendeau, 2012). The relationship between the police and the residents, the lack of social space and the geographical location of these banlieues meant that the first pledge, Liberty, was not being fulfilled to its citizens. A study revealed that in 82 neighbourhoods surrounding Greater Paris, residents had to travel between one and two miles, usually crossing railway tracks or highways, just to reach a shopping complex or movie theatre (Sicliano, 2007, p.216). This further shows the lack of freedom, and suggests why Banlieue residents would turn to other influences and cultures, as they did not feel welcome in their own. Kassovitz uses his characters within La Haine to show these exterior influences, escapism and turn to American culture, where you see a group breakdancing inside a Banlieue house, a dance form originating from America.

 

Kassovitz also depicts how the youth from Banlieues were treated with inequality compared to the majority of the French population, especially the Beur Community, and would band together to form their own equality without racial prejudice. Within La Haine, Vinz (Jewish), Hubert (French African) and Said (Beur) can be seen banding together through adversity whilst still being racially abused from Police; Kassovitz shows this when the 3 go to visit Abdel in hospital, a Beur (North African Immigrant) citizen who has ironically been beaten into a coma by Law enforcement surrounding the Banlieue, and are turned away whilst being mocked and mistreated by both Journalists and the police officers.

 

Overall, I think that La Haine’s depiction of Banlieue lifestyle and culture accurately represents the racially charged rioting and aftermath within these communities, whilst showing that liberty and equality was definitely not present for those living there and is excellently told through the story of 3 characters that represent 3 very different backgrounds. Despite this, I think fraternity shines through, allowing these people to force their way into French pledge and culture, whilst banding together through hard times.

 

 

 

Bibliography:

Jørholt, E (2017) “Banlieue chronicles: a ‘demigrantising’, historical look at cinematic representations of the ill-famed French suburbs”, Studies in European Cinema, 14:3, 249-267

Kassovitz, M (Director). (1995). La Haine [Motion Picture]. France: Canal +

Vincendeau, G. (2012). La Haine and after: Arts, Politics and the Banlieue. Criterion. Source Collected from https://www.criterion.com/

Siciliano, A. (2007) (1). La Haine: Framing the ‘Urban Outcasts’. ACME: An International Journal for Critical Geographies, 6(2), 211-230. Retrieved from https://www.acme-journal.org/index.php/acme/article/view/775