the plot is based on a 2005 short movie, "alive in joburg", also directed by blomkamp and produced by sharlto copley and simon hansen, pivots on the themes of xenophobia and social segregation. the title and plot of "district 9" were based on real-life events that took happened in district six, cape town during the apartheid era. the movie was produced for $30 million and shot on location in chiawelo, soweto, showing fictional interviews, new stories, and videos from surveillance cameras in a part-mock documentary style format. a viral marketing campaign began in 2008, at the san diego comic-con, while the theatrical trailer appeared in july 2009. released by tristar pictures, the movie opened to critical acclaim on august 14, 2009, in north america and made $37 million in its first weekend. lots of people thought that the movie was a sleeper hit for its not very famous cast and modest-budget production, while having success and being popular while it was in theaters.