Healing from Hate: Battle for the Soul of America

Peter D. Hutchison | US, 2019 | English | Documentary | 85m | DCP | IMDB | Distributor/Sales: Alameda Entertainment | Festival marketing sample: Big Sky 2020 | Trailer

Description: Extreme-right politics are gaining ground and legitimacy in America, fed by the internet and the cynical opportunism of Donald Trump. Some radicalised white men eventually resort to acts of terrorism. Life After Hate is an organisation of former US and Canadian skinheads and neo-Nazis that supports these who wish to de-radicalise. Their methods and interventions are reminiscent of addiction recovery fellowships like Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous. Some of their members relate their personal stories. The film follows them during initial meetings with a couple of prospective members. Others are filmed during speaking engagements in synagogues or while engaging with a relative of a Sikh mass-shooting victim.

Merits: This polished and engaging documentary does a good job of linking the in-vogue ‘white identitarians’ such as Jared Taylor, Jack Richardson and Richard Spencer with their vulgarian predecessors. This is counter-balanced by the personal stories of these being de-radicalised.

Rating: Few scenes of physical violence at demonstrations, strong language.

Programming considerations: Consider an event in conjunction with anti-fascist/anti-racist activist organisation.