La Haine

Notes by Roy Stafford

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La Haine

France 1995

director: Mathieu Kassovitz

producer: Christophe Rossignon

script: Mathieu Kassovitz

director of photography: Pierre Aïm

video documentary: Armelle Bayle

editors: Mathieu Kassovitz, Scott Stevenson

art director: Giuseppe Ponturo

sound/sound design: Vincent Tulli

running time: 90 mins

cast

Vincent Cassel Vinz

Hubert Kounde Hubert

Saïd Taghmaoui Saïd Saïd Saïd

Karim Belkhadra Samir Samir Samir

Edwarde Montoute Darty

François Levantal Astérix

Solo Santo

Marc Duret Inspector ‘Notre Dame’

Heloïse Rauth Sarah

Rywka Wajsbrot Vinz's Grandmother

SynopsisA public housing estate outside Paris has been shaken by rioting for 24 hours because

of injuries suffered by Abdel, a youth from the estate, while in police custody. Vinz,

Hubert and Saïd, three local friends, have all been involved. Hubert, a boxer, discovers

his training area has been wrecked. Vinz tells the others that he has the pistol lost by a

police offi cer during the rioting and that he intends to avenge Abdel if he dies from his

injuries. The youths spend the day hanging out as the tension mounts.

Towards evening they go to Paris to visit a dealer known as Astérix, who owes Saïd

money. Vinz endangers the deal by provoking Astérix with the gun. Leaving hurriedly,

Hubert and Saïd are grabbed by the police, while Vinz gets away. Hubert and Saïd get

a brutal going-over at the police station. They are released and miss the last train

back to the estate, but meet Vinz again at the station. The trio walk around the city

and unsuccessfully attempt to steal a car. They sleep in a shopping mall and wake to a

news broadcast informing them that Abdel is dead. Hubert and Saïd restrain Vinz from

threatening a traffi c warden. Angry with Vinz, the other two leave him but they are

attacked by National Front skinheads. Vinz arrives and threatens the skinheads with the

gun and they run off.

Vinz is nearly out of control, but when the trio arrive back at their estate he hands

Hubert the gun to get rid of it. A car draws up and a plainclothes police offi cer gets out.

Vinz and the cop tussle and the cop's gun goes off, shooting Vinz in the head. Hubert

advances on the cop, and they face each other with guns drawn. Saïd looks on in horror

as gunfi re is heard.

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