District 9 does mix genres, its typically a sci fi, however there are some documentary conventions.
The most visible conventions of district 9 are that of the sci fi genre. The most typical is species from another planet, portrayed by the prawns. However, another sci fi convention and something seen a lot n this genre is the questioning of real life and the world. The prawns symbolise black people, as the film is set in South Africa when the apartheid was in force, they were separated from the white people. Through the use of corporation names seen all the way throughout the film, we are shown how they're under the control of a corporation. This shows a dystopian view, first the segregation of the black people, and the villains signified through this corporation, and the people always under the power of it. The seperation of black people and white people can be shown to us through the camera shots and editing. There is one shot, after Wikus has been infected by the prawns and is standing outside eating of Wikus, standing alone in power, and then the camera cuts back to two black people standing with him. The fact that Wikus, being white, is standing in the shot alone shows the power of white people in this situation. This then takes the narrative to the convention of body horror, where there is a black substance coming from his nose as he starts being affected by the transformation.
The documentary genre is shown to us right from the beginning of the film. There is acknowledgement of the camera by Wikus whilst he is putting on the microphone. This is the fourth wall, a rule that isn't usually broken
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