Hollywood should learn from French film "La Haine"

La Haine (The Hate) is a 1995 French black-and-white drama/suspense film written,
co-edited, and directed by Mathieu Kassovitz. It is about three young friends and
their struggle to live in the banlieues of Paris. The title derives from a line spoken
by one of them, Hubert: "La haine attire la haine!", "hatred breeds hatred."
Link to YouTube Trailer

I have no intention of seeing such a dangerously idiotic film like "The Interview", a comedy about political murder. But last night I watched a notable French film about the murderous hatred between the new immigrant arrivals in France and the French police and Neo-Nazi skinheads. It is aptly titled "La Haine" ("The Hate").

What an odd young trio; a black African, an outcast Jew, and an Arab: "It's all about a society in free fall." When a slum friend is killed-with NO justification by the police- all three daydream about a murderous revenge. There seems to be NO EXIT from their hellish, violent, senseless, life. They are despised and rejected OUTSIDERS. They pass by a bill board telling young people in France: " The World is Yours ". One of the trio changes it to: "The World is Ours." The old sociological theme of alienation in a capitalist, success oriented society is applicable here.

Obviously this black and white French- realism film (winner Best Director, Cannes Film Festival,1995 ) is relevant to the USA today with weeks of passionate, at times violent, street protests and mass actions over seemingly unjustified police killings of black youths- executed on the spot soon after rather petty crimes against private property.

Hollywood can serve a progressive cause by copying this French film "realism." Get inside the souls of our society's rejects, especially young people who never had much of a chance in life. As a socialist I am convinced that at least a GUARANTEED INCOME will rescue many of these hopeless youths from the nightmare of "free fall." And abject petty thievery!


Submitted to: letters@providencejournal.com