Recently I had the opportunity to re-watch the film District 9. I'm not a film critic and don't see many of the beautiful indie flicks that are produced every year, but I'm ready to say that this film is one of the best of the year. If you haven't had a chance to see it, I can't recommend it enough. I know what you're thinking (because I thought it too)... this film looks like a crazy alien action movie and really isn't worth my time. Well, let me enlighten you about what the film is really about. This film strongly addresses the topic of the "other" and how we treat and think about people who are vastly different from us. Brief synopsis: The city of Johannesburg, South Africa has an alien race living with them and under the image of "their well-being" they have placed them in a housing community (ie: slum) to keep them separate from the humans. This "community" has all the dealings of a typical slum that are in existence in our world today. The story follows an employee for a private contracting firm given the job to move the alien race to a new "far better" community many miles outside of the city to keep them away from the residents of Johannesburg.
The film is based on a short film called Alive in Joburg. Please watch it, it's only about 6.5 minutes long). While you're on YouTube check out the trailer for District 9.
What makes this film so beautiful is that it is in fact written based on the writer/director's experiences during apartheid in South Africa. This film highlights how we as the dominant race/culture view "the other". Underneath the guise of a sci-fi movie, this film is screaming with issues of social justice. What goes on between the aliens and humans in this film are things that did/do actually go on in this world. We want "the other" moved to a better community, located at a comfortable distance away from us. They should probably have their own churches there, because they just don't fit in with us. Better give them their own schools too because I don't think I want their children playing with my children. As the conflict between African Americans and whites in this country is far better than it was 50 years ago, the distinction is still there. But as this issue recovers, we find new people to exclude for "their best interest". Consider how the church interacts with homosexuals, or immigrants (legal and illegal) or the poor. As followers of Christ, we need to realize that it is time to stop excluding those that we perceive as "other" and embrace them as the image bearers of God that they are... just as we are.
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