Hacking Hate wins Best Documentary at Tribeca

Simon Klose (center) with producer Elin Kamlert and editor Nicolás Nørgaard Staffolani at Tribeca Festival. Photo by Sara Rüster, the Swedish Film Institute.

Simon Klose's new film Hacking Hate won the award for Best Documentary Feature at Tribeca Festival. In addition, short film Budō by Amanda Aagard and Alexander Toma and Swedish co-production Samia both received Special Jury Mentions.

Hacking Hate follows award-winning Swedish reporter My Vingren – dubbed “the real-life Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” – as she goes undercover online, using fake profiles to expose how extremist movements are using social media to recruit and radicalize. She successfully infiltrates a secret online nazi organization, only to discover it’s an influence operation. Truth and reality twist as My gets closer to the group’s inner circle and starts to question who is really pulling the strings. 

– I am extremely grateful to receive this award right now, in this critical moment when journalism, freedom of expression and democracy are threatened. I think we need to hold tech platforms accountable for reinforcing and profiting from right-wing extremism and thus helping right-wing populist parties gain ground all over the world, says Simon Klose.

Jury statement: “The documentary jury awards a film that bravely and fearlessly investigates the misuse of the internet to encourage hate and bias by allowing media giants to profit and foster the continuation of the outrage. On trial are first amendment freedoms that have been violated for profit.”

Hacking Hate is produced by Elin Kamlert / Nonami, in co-production with Film i Skåne and with production support from the Swedish Film Institute, Documentary Film Commissioner Anna Weitz. Domestic distribution by TriArt Film.

Simon Klose is a documentary director and producer based in Malmö who focuses on human stories within the internet revolution. In 2013, he released TPB AFK: The Pirate Bay Away From Keyboard, a character-driven documentary exploring the world of file sharing. The film made history as the first opening feature of the Berlinale, that was shared online for free. 

More Swedish wins at Tribeca:

Budō by Amanda Aagard and Alexander Toma – Special Jury Mention for Animated Short

On the outskirts of Tokyo lives the lonely Miho, an old widow. On her daily trip to the supermarket she meets a hungry stray cat. The cat follows her home, but soon makes himself more comfortable in her little apartment than she could ever imagine... Budō is a stop motion-animated, anime-inspired saga about loneliness, adventure and courage, created by Swedish production company Amsaga, run by director-duo Amanda Aagard and Alexander Toma. Made in co-production with Film i Väst and with production support from the Swedish Film Institute, former Film Commissioner Ami Ekström. 

Samia by Yasemin Şamdereli (Swedish co-production) – Special Jury Mention for an International Narrative Feature

Based on the bestseller Don’t Tell Me You’re Afraid, inspired by the true story of Samia Yusuf Omar, a young Somali athlete boldly moving towards her future and becoming a symbol in the fight for freedom and women’s rights worldwide. Samia defies taboos by racing through the streets of Mogadishu, in a society where a woman is not supposed to run. Her passion will one day take her to the Olympic Games. Swedish co-producers: David Herdies, Iman Ismail and Michael Krotkiewski / Momento Film. 

The top award for Hacking Hate rounds off a strong year for Swedish film at Tribeca. Also selected: Avicii – I'm Tim by Henrik Burman (world premiere in Spotlight Documentary), thriller Hunters on a White Field by Sarah Gyllenstierna (international premiere in International Narrative Competition), and Berlinale winner Crossing by Levan Akin, which had its North American premiere in Spotlight Narrative.

Swedish film, and not least Swedish documentaries, have reaped great success at Tribeca in recent years. In 2019, Scheme Birds by Ellen Fiske and Ellinor Hallin picked up two awards, including Best Documentary Feature, and subsequently, among others, Yung Lean: In My Head by Henrik Burman and The Scars of Ali Boulala by Max Eriksson have screened in competition. At the 2023 festival, Maria Fredriksson's breakout documentary The Gullspång Miracle won the award for Best Editing.