District 9 - how does the opening sequence and Alive in Joburg (2005) use cinema verité techniques to construct a sense of verisimilitude?

You can watch the short film by clicking here

• Use of handheld cinematography constructs a sense of verisimilitude, and an intense and confusing mode of address. 
• Subtitles are used throughout the film to subtitle the aliens language. As well as different African  languages, such as Afrikaans and Zulu. This constructs a sense of conflation between the aliens (here literally space aliens!) and people of colour, which reinforces themes of racism, and makes allegorical reference to apartheid 
• Cross cutting between grimy ‘documentary’ footage and talk head interviews positions the spectator as watching an informative and educational. 
• The framing and lighting of the talking head shots make it seem like an official government document and an official investigation. Yet the film’s title card is conventional of a conventional Hollywood movie. This confusing blending of modes constructs and ideological perspective that racism, segregation, immigration and alien invasions are a confusing issue
• The use of non-professional actors delivering vox pops constructs a sense of verisimilitude, and again immerses the spectator into a confusing narrative. Yet it also allows the film to deal with themes of immigration
• However, given that District 9 is a major South African film, partly funded by South African investors, it tones down themes of racism and apartheid…
• The soundtrack is highly conventional and even stereotypical, resembling the soundtrack to a mid market documentary
• Certain shots are shot on video, with time stamps and the characteristic distortion and murkiness of this. The shots from inside the mothership resemble an artefacts, as something that has nothing to do with a narrative film. Once more, it constructs a sense of confusing verisimilitude

The representation of Johannesburg 

• Throughout District 9, Joburg is represented as other. Different, dangerous and abject. The representation of Africa as a whole is highly typical and highly conventional