Quotes

• Si tu étais allé à l'école tu saurais que la haine attire la haine


  The main idea of the film- hate attracts hate. This shows that it is a vicious cycle. However when he says "Si tu étais allé a l'école" it shows the reality of lives the banlieues as a big number of young people don't go to school, which is well represented in school and that's why there is lots of silence in the film as there is nothing for them to do - causes other problems - unemployment, crime.
• j'en ai marre de cette cité, j'en ai marre. il faut que je parte. il faut que je parte d'ici


  Hubert wants to leave the estates because he cant live in that environment anymore, and wants it to happen before something happens. It shows that he is more mature than the others as he appreciates that the life in the estates won't lead to anything.
• on n'est pas à Thoiry ici


  Hubert says this to the journalist referencing that they aren't a zoo. This is because the estates are perceived as dangerous and therefore they won't talk to them up close and outside of their car. This is emphasized by the barriers, separating them. This demonstrates how the people of the estates are seen as violent animals by others and their response to the journalists reinforces this idea.
• Comment ils sont polis les keufs ici, carrément il m'a dit "vous" et tout!"


  Said is really surprised by the police in Paris as they were polite and this is not what he was used to back in the estates. This reinforces the attitude of the police towards to the young people- they are perceived as the enemy. This is the point of the film, its not against all of the police, but against the system which they are a part of. The idea of not all police is shown through the character of Samir who is one of the good police officers and tries to help the trio.
• Regarde tous ces veaux qui se laissent porter par le système


  This is a reference to all the people that are carried by the system, and that don't ask questions. Kassovitiz condemned the judicial system and the police and Hubert refers to this conditioning. Furthermore, another interpretation is that Hubert is referencing the racism that is embedded within the system. The system gives the power to be racist. the word "veaux" reflects the idea that they are animals and lack intelligence.
• c'est l'histoire d'une sociétéd'un mec qui tombe et au fur et à mesure de sa chute, se répète sans cesse pour se rassurer....Jusqu'ici tout va bien...jusqu'ici tout va bien.L'importance c'est pas la chute, c'est l'atterrissage.


  This is what we hear at the start and the end of the film. It is important that Hubert is the one that said this out of the three, as he is the only one who is aware of what is happening in the estates and in society in general. The repetition of him saying this emphasizes his character. It also illustrates that lots of people turn a blind eye to what is really happening. As this is what is heard last, it is important as it was made to ensure that people can no longer ignore what is happening. The word "mec" shows that the film is based on a tragic story of a person, and at the end of the film he says "c'est l'histoire d'une société" this reflects that the real problem is with society.
• Tu connais un autre moyen de se faire respecter


  This shows the life they have to live in order to fit in in the estates, and that it involves committing crimes.
• C'était trop puissant, je te jure


  Shows the power of the riots and how much anger they have towards the police. Furthermore it shows that they can't help getting involved in it, it is just their way of life and they do what they need to do in order to survive- they fit in and join in on the rioting.
• C'est a moi que tu? parles? Dis enculé, c'est a moi que tu parles


  Illustrates the character of Vinz and how the whole gangster thing is a facade. It is a tribute to the gangster scene in Taxi Driver and emphaises how Vinz wants to be a gangster.
• Un mois de placard pour vol à la tire. C'est pas glorieux


  Vinz is talking to Hubert about being the only person who hasn't gone to prison and that he wants to go in order to gain a reputation. Furthermore, it emphaises the way of life of the estates and how it is the norm to go to prison.
• Si Abdel y passe je tuerai un keuf


  Shows Vinz's character- wants to be perceived as a gangster and the anger that he has towards everything including the states and the police.
• Vouloir tuer un keuf c'est vraiment une connerie


  Shows the character of Hubert and how he is a pacifist and the voice of reason- why he is rare for someone who lives on the estates. Also shows how he cares for his friends as he doesn't want them making stupid mistakes.
• Il y a de bons flics mais un bon skin c'est un skin mort. Tire! Vas-y!


  Hubert yells this to Vinz to make him realise that he is not able to kill someone, and that he is not really a gangster no matter how hard he tries to be.
• Tu peux pas tuer tous les keufs


  Hubert being the voice of reason and making him aware that killing one cop is not going to stop them and that he cannot kill all of them- its an uphill battle against the system that they won't win.
• Je n'ai jamais vu les problèmes se résoudre par la violence


  Hubert being the voice of reason and demonstrating the moral of the film- hate attracts hate and that nothing is ever going to be solved through violence.- to show Vinz how stupid he is being about killing a cop.
• Un arabe ne tient plus d'une heure dans le commissariat


  This shows the racism that Muslims and Arabs suffer from the police and they most probably will end up dead because of the colour of their skin.
• J'ai jamais dit que j'allais tuer un keuf comme plaisir


  This demonstrates that Vinz is actually a good guy as he doesn't really want to kill a cop but he wants vengeance for his friend and he is really angry.
• Ce putain de système. On est là, on vit dans des trous à rats


  Demonstrates the motives behind Vinz's behaviour - everything is done through the anger they feel against the system.
• On y vaaaaa; merci Chaarles


  shows the character of Said, that he is the comedian of the group as he is mocking the Parisian accent.
• Je suis sur que Vinz faisait partie de ces mecs qui ont brulé la salle de boxe


  shows how badly Vinz wants to fit in as he even helped burn down his best friends boxing gym.
• Il réfléchit trop le connard


  Shows how it is not the norm for people from the estates to be educated and therefore to Vinz, its stupid and different to think about the consequences and life outside the estates.
• Moi je sais d'où je viens et je sais où je vais


  shows how Vinz had little ambition to change as he knew that he would always stay in the estates.
• J'ai embarqué le chef Hubert : Saïd le chef ?!Vinz : Mouaka Mouaka Mouaka


  This shows at the scene of the hospital they purely arrested Said based on the colour of his skin, even though, it was obvious that it was Vinz causing all the trouble.
• Un mec qui vend ses fesses aux keufs


  shows how angry Vinz is at Hubert for being friendly with Samir, a police officer as in the estates any police officer is seen as the enemy.
• Tu es tellement supérieur à nous


  shows how Vinz feels threatened that Hubert went to school and therefore understands life better.
• Moi tout-ce que je sais c'est que je ne cours pas plus vite que les balles


  Shows the reason why Said won't participate in the riots, as he knows the likelihood is that he will end up dead.
• On commence par brûler l'école et puis on va plus à la synagogue


  illustrates how his family know what Vinz is doing, but isn't stopping him as they know its the way of life.
• Je suis de la rue moi


  illustrates that Vinz has never been educated so everything he has learnt has been from the gangs and the life of the estate- understand why he is the way he is and why he wont change as he doesn't understand that there is a chance it could all get better.
• Je m'appelle pas Malik Oussekine


  shows how Vinz didn't think he would end up like Malik but in the end he did.
• Eh oui et qui nous protège de vous?


  shows how the people of the estates live in constant fear of the police.
• La majorité des flics ne sont pas là pour vous taper mais pour vous protéger


  shows how the majority of police officers are good people, but the others who run the system aren't and make the biggest impact, therefore none of them can be trusted as you can't tell them apart.
• Vous êtes agressifs, comment vous voulez qu'on vous respecte?


  shows how they can be aggressive towards women as that's how they are and feel threatened by the fact they are from Paris - trying to overcompensate and come across as a gangster.
• le malaise des banlieues


  illustrates how the people of the estate are seen compared to others.
• Ce film est dédié à ceux disparus pendant sa fabrication


  illustrates the point of the creation of this film. To show the racism within the system, to show that police are taking advantage of the system and killing innocent people and to show the rest of the world who are the victims of this, while they just sit back and ignore it.
• vous êtes que des assassins, vous tirez c'est facile, hein? Nous on n'a pas d'armes, on a que des cailloux


  shows how the war against the police is one they can't win due to how disadvantaged they are and the fact that the police are taking advantage of that.
• Je me sens comme une petite fourmi perdue dans l'univers intergalactique


  shows how they feel like they aren't part of the real world due to the fact they live such different lives to others and no one seems to care enough to change that.
• C'est un nom français ça? racism within the police force