The propaganda film announcer Claudius Templesmith is played by Toby Jones in “The Hunger Games.” The following is the opening prologue of the film:

“War. Terrible war. Widows… Orphans… a motherless child… This was the uprising that rocked our land.

13 Districts rebelled against the country that fed them… loved them… protected them…

Brother turned on brother until nothing remained.

And then came the peace… Hard fought… Sorely won. A people rose up from the ashes. And a new era was born.

But freedom has a cost… When the traitors were defeated, we swore as a nation we would never know this treason again…

And so it was decreed that each year, the various districts of Panem would offer up in tribute one young man and woman, to fight to the death in a pageant of honor, courage and sacrifice.

The lone victor, bathed in riches, would serve as a reminder of our generosity and our forgiveness.

This is how we remember our past.

This is how we safeguard our future.”