la haine · N^o4388

La Haine, a 1996 French film directed and written by Mathieu Kassovitz, follows the lives of three young men in the banlieues, or suburbs, of Paris. The film illustrates the tensions between the diverse inhabitants of this area and the police force that patrols there, and gives a biting critique of French society. We especially love Kassovitz’s decision to shoot this film in black and white, which enhances the grittiness of the environment, and adds a certain level of beauty to the stark nature of the film.