Hate

Mathieu Kassovitz’s film Hate (1995) depicts a day in the life of three boys with no future perspective, who live in a depressed Parisian suburb, afflicted by violence, poor education, unemployment. Their banlieue has been rocked by massive riots after reports surfaced that their friend was in hospital on the verge of death following a brutal police interrogation. The film, based on a true story of a boy who was beaten by police during interrogation, was produced almost ten years before the real-life riots erupted in France in 2005.
The film inspired the directors Tamer Yiğit and Branka Prlić to write a play on the same theme using cinematic elements. Their play deals with the experiences of young people living, or perhaps fighting to survive, in the “problem districts” of Berlin. In preparing for the project, the directors have researched and analyzed the differences and parallels between the Parisian banlieues, and the Berlin problem districts, and investigated the underlying causes of the riots in Paris in 2005, Greece in 2008 and Berlin in 2006. They were interested in understanding what causes young people to revert to violence, and what sparks, stokes and finally releases their hatred. The theatrical adaptation incorporated the experiences of the directors and those who have been involved in the uprisings, as well as documentary elements based on the lives of the young actors.

Artistic directors: Tamer Yiğit and Branka Prlić
Dramaturgy: Tim Staffel
Video: Marie Viertmann
Actors: Christoph Bach, Haydar Yilmaz, Almila Bağriaçik, Harkan Saygun
Music: Volkan Türeli, Danny Bruder, Disput

Venues and schedule:
Hebbel am Ufer, Berlin, 6 – 13 Jan. 2010, premiere on 6 Jan. 2010
Switzerland, Kaserne Basel, 8 – 10 Apr. 2010