Compare the attitudes to poverty conveyed in the films you have studied for this topic
In the scene where Vinz, Said and Hubert are walking through their housing estate (project), they are wearing a 'chavvy' style of clothes. Everyone in the estate seems to be in the same boat, and everyone lives the same situation. Lots of people live in one house, because it is cheaper. The camera is a handheld camera (which places you in to the situation, and they're usually cheaper cameras), and follows the three as if they are part of the friend group. This creates a sense of community within the estate. They walk about freely, in contrast to the police who walk rigid and in formation. Crime is the main way for people to get money, usually drug selling, as this is the only thing they can do. The surrounding areas have lots of graffiti, showing that the people don't appreciate or respect their habitat. The Police treat the poor people badly, being more violent then they would be with people in Paris.
In City of God, there is a scene where the children are discussing how they would make money in the future. It is shot with a handheld camera, much like in La Haine, so it puts you (the audience) into the situation, and so you feel like part of the action. The children discuss that the main way for them to make money is to sell and produce drugs, again, like in La Haine with Hubert's occupation after his gym is burned down. As the children talk, there is a sense of community between them, as they look like they are friends with the way their body language and facial expressions portray happiness or relaxation (a sense of security) when together. The children are also wearing very poor quality and dirty clothes, suggesting that they/their parents don't have a lot of money to spend on good clothes. This is also present in La Haine, however it's no so much 'low-quality' but more 'non-professional' and 'not-stylish'. They also have dirt on their faces to show that they don't have to privilege to clean themselves all the time.
ANIMALS/CAGE
In both films, the ideology that people in poverty are treated like animals by police or the rest of society, and the iconography of cages is a running theme.
City of God- When Steak comes out with Lil Ze, in cage
La Haine- Said in cage when talking to Vinz's sister in opening scene.
NEGATIVELY REPRESENTED IN THE MEDIA
Scene 2 - 53:40- On the train (beggars)
In City of God, there is a scene where the children are discussing how they would make money in the future. It is shot with a handheld camera, much like in La Haine, so it puts you (the audience) into the situation, and so you feel like part of the action. The children discuss that the main way for them to make money is to sell and produce drugs, again, like in La Haine with Hubert's occupation after his gym is burned down. As the children talk, there is a sense of community between them, as they look like they are friends with the way their body language and facial expressions portray happiness or relaxation (a sense of security) when together. The children are also wearing very poor quality and dirty clothes, suggesting that they/their parents don't have a lot of money to spend on good clothes. This is also present in La Haine, however it's no so much 'low-quality' but more 'non-professional' and 'not-stylish'. They also have dirt on their faces to show that they don't have to privilege to clean themselves all the time.
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ANIMALS/CAGE
In both films, the ideology that people in poverty are treated like animals by police or the rest of society, and the iconography of cages is a running theme.
City of God- When Steak comes out with Lil Ze, in cage
La Haine- Said in cage when talking to Vinz's sister in opening scene.
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Scene 2 - 53:40- On the train (beggars)
Said looks down on the beggars. Vinz, Said, Hubert have more than the beggars in Paris. As a result of it being more expensive to live in Paris, there are more people who can't pay their own way, and result to begging. The beggar has dirty hair, no makeup, low-quality knit jumper and large coat. She takes centre frame in the mid shot, showing that she is important in this shot. Whereas Said takes pride in his appearance (in terms of hair/jewellery) because he has more money than the beggar, despite being classed as poor himself. Said is more privileged too, as he is sitting down whereas the beggar is stood up and walking about. The setting of the train is a much cleaner look, again showing that Paris has more money and the people that live there respect and care about where they live.
