Discrimination In District 9

Statement of Intent: This text is a formal essay piece on the film “District 9” directed by Neill Blomkamp. The purpose of this essay is to explain how symbolism and film techniques were utilized to show how the key idea of discrimination is conveyed.

In the film “District 9” directed by Neill Blomkamp, Symbolism was portrayed using restriction signs, the black body bag and two different districts, which were used to develop the key idea of discrimination throughout the film. The director’s efficient use of film techniques such as a high-angle shot, props, dialogue and bird's eye view shot were additionally utilized to convey the key idea of discrimination.

In the film “District 9," the symbols on the streets were used to display
The 2 districts show the idea of discrimination as the humans live in a really well developed city with large buildings and fancy vehicles while the aliens and Nigerians live in a poor undeveloped area with hardly any facilities and live in shelter type blocks due to not being accepted into the human society. The aliens were cast out mainly due to xenophobia to be monitored by cameras and military snipers. The Nigerians, on the other hand, were cast out due to their unique beliefs and practices in such things as being witch doctors. A bird’s eye view shot was used to show the contrast between the two districts – one district is clearly bright, clean and looks very skillfully developed, while the alien district looks dirty, slum like area with watchtowers placed throughout the district to monitor the aliens. This demonstrates the idea of discrimination as the humans think they are superior to the aliens, and therefore, they live in a really well developed society with many facilities whereas the aliens deemed as the lesser beings are placed in a slum type of area along with the Nigerians with shacks to live in, no proper food or facilities and are surrounded by rubbish. Another technique used was a panning shot primarily used to highlight the massive walls surrounding district 9. This shows discrimination as the aliens are placed in a closed-off area suggesting that the humans want to have nothing to do with them and no interaction- the aliens are left to fend for themselves acquiring food and resources by trading valuable biotechnological information. The director’s purpose was to contrast the two districts to emphasize the idea of discrimination and segregation and to exhibit what happened, in reality, in South Africa and many other places – which is elucidated by how the alien race which is deemed unwanted and inferior is sent to live in an area distant and closed