The Hunger Games takes place after the failed rebellion of the Districts against the oppressive Capitol. As a result of the uprising, the thirteenth district was annihilated, and the Capitol instituted a pageant to be known as The Hunger Games. As a form of punishment for the rebellion, the games would take place annually, as during The Reaping (the selection/drafting ceremony) two members of each of the twelve districts, one male and one female between the ages of twelve and eighteen, are drafted for the games. These children are then placed in an arena where they must fight until one lone survivor remains. For characters such as Effie Trinket, an inhabitant of the Capitol, the Hunger Games Pageant appear to be about honor and patriotism, …show more content…
It is most evident as the scene entering the tenth minute of the film, through the cinematographic techniques, mise-en-scene, and editing, the Hunger Games creates a parallel between the nation of Panem and Nazi Germany, enhancing the movie’s connection between propaganda and genocide. At the beginning of this scene, the people of District Twelve are being rounded up for the annual reaping. As part of the cinematography, the scene initiates with an aerial shot, focusing on the people of the district being rounded up. The camera then shifts from an aerial shot to a ground-level handheld camera in motion. The camera follows the emotions/facial expressions of the people in the district. Through their emotions, the sense of lifelessness remains, but it also transforms, creating a sense of sadness, anxiety/unease, and fear. The frantic movements of the camera, and the cuts in editing, swiftly shifting focus from the members of the district to the Peacekeepers (similar to a police force), enhances the fear, as viewers can experience the forced nature of the gathering. In focusing on the Peacekeepers, one cinematographic technique that captures the disconnect between the members of the Capitol (such as the Peacekeepers) and the inhabitants of the districts is emphasized through the shallow focus of the camera. It is almost as if the viewer is looking through the point of view of the Peacekeepers, but are not directly looking through their eyes as would be with first-person camera view. The blurred ‘focus’ on the members of the district versus the sharp focus of the Peacekeeper emphasizes a refusal in acknowledgement or a lack of sympathy towards the members of the district. In this scene, the mise-en-scene is particularly relevant, although very subtle. Throughout the scene, the elevated staging of the Peacekeepers versus the low staging of