A conflict that does not date from yesterday. Since Saturday March 2, the director of La Haine has been publishing videos on social networks to offer “an English boxing fight in three times three” to Saïd Taghmaoui, one of the emblematic actors of this 1995 film. Mathieu Kassovitz criticizes him of “drooling over the project” and “spitting on it” for almost thirty years now.
“I want us to resolve our problems in public because “La Haine” is a public film,” says the director, empty Nutella pot in hand, in a first video published on Saturday. And what better way to settle scores than a boxing match? According to Mathieu Kassovitz, nothing at all. It is even the ideal opportunity for him to show his talents as an amateur boxer, already highlighted in 2017, at the Deauville international center.
In addition to a fight, the director offers to buy from Saïd Taghmaoui, for 5,000 euros, the collector’s t-shirts of La Haine that the latter is reselling to help an orphanage of which he is the godfather. “I’m going to knock out all your teeth, even your face will go back in its box […] Get fed up with the fact that you’re talking bad about us, that you’re talking shit,” continues Mathieu Kassovitz. You managed to divide something which was basically something strong. Once I knock you out, I’ll hold you and give you all the love I owe you.”
In 2021, in an interview with the YouTube channel Oui Hustle, Saïd Taghmaoui, who has not seen the director since the film’s theatrical release in 1995, affirmed that only Mathieu Kassovitz still received money from the film. “I’m only sublimating La Haine to make it clear that it’s my film too, whether you like it or not, it’s my film,” he argued. I’m one of the heroes of this film and I participated in the writing, in the creation of this thing and you’re not going to take away my part!
But this time, the actor did not react. His silence pushed Mathieu Kassovitz to post a new video. “Said, it’s been 24 hours. What’s going on?, he asks in front of the camera, while he is brushing his teeth in his underwear. Answer because everyone knows, you’re really going to look like an idiot.”
Twenty-four hours later, still having no response to his proposal, Mathieu Kassovitz published a third video. To start his sketch, the director looks exhausted, almost disappointed. “I’m worried, we’ve been looking for you for 72 hours. I sent submarines under the sea, planes in the air, emissaries on land but we can’t find you. The whole of France is waiting for your response.”
This time, no threats but moral lessons. “You’re empty, you’re fake, it’s a shame because you were a mortal guy when I knew you,” continues the 56-year-old director after announcing that there would unfortunately be no fight . So I’m going to leave you alone, we’re going to stop, I have other things to do than put myself in shitty scenes every morning where I have to be funny.” Mathieu Kassovitz thanks his fans for their “participation in this life lesson”.
Also read: Mathieu Kassovitz, the sober complainer
Mathieu Kassovitz has never had his tongue in his pocket. He also spoke on Monday about the sexual violence which has shaken French cinema in recent weeks. “Me, I had hands put on my ass, I put pies in my mouth,” he confides on RMC. People need to do what I did, what I said, when I said ‘no’ to an abuser who never did it again.” The director also calls on women to fight, but above all to defend themselves, in the same way as him. “You should never look down. If someone puts a hand on their ass in the street, the woman turns around, slaps her, and if the guy moves an ear, a passerby protects, says Mathieu Kassovitz. This is what I teach my daughters. If someone puts a hand on their ass, I tell them to hit, they might get hit or hit in return, but we’ll calculate afterwards.”
