This document discusses narrative elements in the films La Haine and City of God. It examines narrative time, shape, and space used in both films. For narrative time, La Haine takes place over 24 hours while City of God spans 15-20 years. Both films use a circular narrative structure to comment on social issues. Narrative space refers to the locations portrayed, which are banlieues in Paris for La Haine and the City of God favela for the Brazilian film.

2. Learning Objectives
Identify the different narrative elements of both our
Focus Films
Analyse the Narrative Time, Shape
and Space adopted by both of our
focus films
Evaluate the use of narrative and the
ways we can include these uses in our
exam answers

3. Narrative in City of God
City of God is split in to three stages:
1. The Story of the Tender Trio
2. The Story of Lil Ze & Drugs
3. The Story of Knockout Ned
In your handouts summarise what
happens in each of these stages

4. Narrative Shape
Narrative Shape is of vital importance to our
understand of the films
Both films adopt a ‘circular narrative’ to
comment upon social issues in their countries
How does La Haine use a ‘circular narrative’ to comment upon
issues in French Society?
How does City of God use a ‘circular narrative’ to discuss the
social issues of the city itself?
Pick one scene or ‘cycle’ from each film that you could use in an
exam answer to support your points

5. Narrative Shape
Whilst La Haine adopts a Continuous,
Linear Narrative, City of God adopts a
Disrupted, non-linear Narrative
Beginning
Why did the directors choose these
Narrative forms?
By contrast the narrative of both films are
broken down in to episodic sections Finale
City of God begins and
These episodes link together key moments ends with the same set
that show the development of a crisis point of events. A cycle of
violence similar to that
– even if one happens over one day, or over of the Favelas
many years

6. Narrative Time
The time scale of each narrative is very
important in your analysis of these films
La Haine uses a
Over what length of Narrative Time do ticking clock
the two take place? showing the passage
of time
La Haine = 24hours
City of God uses the
City of God – 15 – 20 years mise-en-scene of the
City itself
As we move in to the
What devices are used to future the City itself
demonstrate the passage of time and expands and
inform the audience? degenerates

7. Narrative Time
Both films question and challenge the Dominant Social
Ideologies of the nations they represent, buy the do so in
different ways
Why do you think La Haine is set over a 24 hour
period?
La Haine attempts to show the prejudice faced by
young migrants in Paris
As the film is primarily aimed at French audiences; an
exposition of the environment is unnecessary
The film highlights the issues that the underclass face
on a daily basis and the hardships they face
Setting the film in a 24 hours time frame increases the
films impact as we are presented with a day in the life
of the young immigrants

8. Narrative Time
Why do you think City of God is set over a 20 year period?
As we already know the City of God was founded in 1966 as a
replacement housing project for those living in the Favelas
The film opens during this time and highlights the positive
intentions of the Brazilian government
In 1964 the leftist government was other thrown and the city left
incomplete
As a result the city became a haven for criminals, drug runners
and the poor under-class
The film follows the evolution of the city and pinpoints key issues
and events that led to the City of God seen in the 1980’s
The 20 year narrative time frame also shows the impact the
environment has on its citizens (Lil Ze’)

9. Narrative Space
Narrative space refers to the ‘space’ in
which the narrative takes place
Les Banlieues of the Paris Suburbs &
Paris City Centre
The City of God itself
Our understanding of a narrative space depends greatly on
our perception of the location being portrayed
We must acknowledge that both ‘slums’ are representations
and rely on both our own experiences and our study of the
social and historical issues that spawned these environments

10. Narrative Space
What similarities can we draw between the ‘narrative space’ of
both ‘La Haine’ & ‘The City of God’?
Both films are set in their countries different
‘Slums’
The poverty seen in Brazil is very different
from the poverty seen in Europe and we
must look at these different representations
in our exam
Aspects of Mise-en-scene must be discussed
as well as the influence of American culture
in the characters life styles

11. Summary
At the end of your handout bullet point all the different ways
we can both compare and contrast the Narrative structures of
both La Haine & The City of God
Create an essay plan for the following FM4 Examination
Question
What is the importance of Genre and/or Narrative in creating
meaning and generating
response in the films you have studied?