They’re the Icelandic anticapitalist BDSM-inspired techno group who caused controversy and finished in the top ten at Eurovision 2019. Now Hatari is set to tell the story of their Eurovision experience with the documentary film A Song Called Hate. The film will make its debut at this year’s Warsaw International Film Festival.
Hatari are set to compete in the Festival’s Free Spirit category. The festival describes that competition as being dedicated to “independent, innovative, rebellious feature-length fiction and documentary films from all over the world.”
The Warsaw International Film Festival runs from 9 to 18 October 2020 and is due to take place at various cinemas in Warsaw. Tickets for the festival will go on sale from 4 October.
Currently, the Polish government requires that indoor cinemas can only be filled to 50% capacity and that social distancing of 1.5 metres must be used. Cinemagoers are also required to wear a mask.
Watch the trailer for A Song Called Hate
In May, the trailer for the film was dropped, giving fans a taste of what they can expect from the film.
Hatari, an award winning, anti-capitalist, BDSM, techno-band’, who win the public vote to represent Iceland at the Eurovision Song-Contest in Tel-Aviv 2019. They turn heads and open minds with their full-on antics as they highlight the pressing Israel-Palestine conflict. #theartofmakingastand #artisticfreedom #creativeexpression #hatari #BasharMurad #TrashyClothing #tattarrattat #levelk #eurovision "
Posted by A Song Called Hate on Thursday, 14 May 2020
The trailer features Hatari facing international media attention, including appearances from the BBC, US talk show host John Oliver and, of course, wiwibloggs. But Hatari weren’t any ordinary Eurovision act.
The preview quickly cuts to the chase and gets political. The Palestine issue is brought up and Mattias is heard explaining the band’s intention to “criticise the Israeli government with discussion, with art, with ideas, rather than boycott it.”
The film distributors say “Ultimately, A Song Called Hate asks what is the role of the artist and do they have a responsibility to engage in politics? If so, do intentions even count, without actions?”
They go on to say that “With a mission to penetrate the high gloss and shiny show-business of Eurovision, Hatari are forced to accept that everything they do might just be read as irony, because is it even possible to participate within a system while simultaneously rejecting it?”
A Song Called Hate is the directorial debut of the London-based Icelandic director Anna Hildur.
What do you think? Are you looking forward to seeing A Song Called Hate? Should Hatari return to Eurovision? Tell us your thoughts below!
I live in Warsaw and I love Hatari’s image. This sounds like a plan.
One of the most epic artists ever in Eurovision. I look forward to this documentary
There are not enough words to describe how much I love them. Going to check all rules and tickets just now. I NEED to see it.
Hatari were the story of 2019’s contest for me. I shall look forward to watching this documentary.