Liberty, equality, fraternity: France fails test it set for rest of the world

LIFE imitates art. Just over 10 years ago, a French film called La Haine (Hatred) won critical acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival.

The film was about 24 hours in the life of three angry young men from a housing project in a desolate Parisian suburb.

The plot was part-based on the true story of a 16-year-old Zairean, Makome Bowole, who died in police custody three years before the film came out.