‘Undercover: Exposing the Far Right’ Director on the Future of Political Doc Programming: ‘Selection of Films at Some Festivals Is Becoming Weaker’

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In the documentary “Undercover: Unmasking the Extreme Right” by Havana Marking, investigators from the group Hope Not Hate employ covert camera work and on-the-ground research to identify and publicize members of violent far-right extremist organizations in both the United Kingdom and the United States.

One of the individuals featured is Mark Weber, an American who denies the Holocaust, who can be heard in a film making such statements as, “Every American should ponder whether whites and Blacks can coexist in America on equal footing with mutual respect. Liberals might say ‘absolutely, or we should.’ Conservatives might suggest it’s a noble goal but requires time to achieve. The reality is no; it won’t happen. Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln both wrestled with this question, and they both arrived at the same conclusion – it’s not feasible. The only solution, in their views, is to relocate Blacks from North America.

The movie primarily focuses on Patrik Hermansson, a seasoned researcher, who went undercover during the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville. Additionally, it spotlights journalist Harry Shukman, who started infiltrating far-right groups from 2023, under Hermansson’s tutelage. Remarkably, Marking was allowed to use all the footage that Hermansson and Shukman had gathered over a two-year period. Importantly, Marking is the first filmmaker ever to be given exclusive behind-the-scenes access to Hope Not Hate organization within its 20-year existence.

Mark shared with EbMaster that it took a considerable amount of time to win over the entire team’s trust. He emphasized that he had to demonstrate his capabilities, which required several months. The crucial aspect was that they trusted him not to jeopardize their safety or the mission’s success. Mark made sure to prioritize security and fully grasped the potential risks.

In October last year, the London Film Festival by the British Film Institute withdrew a movie from their schedule at short notice due to safety issues.

As a follower, I’d express it as: “I believe the film is outstanding and undoubtedly among the top documentaries I’ve watched this year,” shared Kristy Matheson, festival director, with the Observer. Yet, it’s crucial to remember that every festival employee deserves a secure working environment where their mental health and well-being are valued.

The movie initially aired on Channel 4 in the U.K. and DR in Denmark, with additional showings at IDFA in November 2024 and currently being screened at CPH:DOX’s Education section – UNG:DOX in Copenhagen. Despite Marking’s belief that hardcore right-wing supporters wouldn’t watch her film, she believes there are many undecided individuals, particularly those influenced online, who could watch this documentary and recognize how easily they can be deceived.

EbMaster conversed with Marking in Copenhagen regarding the three years they invested in crafting “Undercover: Exposing the Far Right” and the keenness of American film distributors towards the movie.

What allowed Hope Not Hate to grant you exclusive behind-the-scenes look at their potentially risky covert activities?

Initially, I was discussing with Nick Lowles, the founder and CEO of HNH, about a historical narrative, a regular past-tense interview film. However, each conversation I had with him was anything but ordinary. It seemed like every time we spoke, something unexpected happened: he was being trailed, his family was receiving threats, the office was inundated with fake phone calls. It was an unsettling period, and it felt absurd to be discussing events that transpired 20 years ago. We decided it was crucial to start filming immediately. It wasn’t until half a year later that Nick informed me they were also involved in an undercover operation simultaneously.

Did you ever feel in danger while making the film?

From the very beginning, we recognized that producing this film could be perilous due to its complex nature involving multiple storylines, each with varying degrees of potential hazards. Several scenes were inherently risky such as capturing footage at far-right protests without police presence, and tackling the contentious actions of a controversial British agitator like Tommy Robinson, who has a history of intimidating journalists he disagrees with. Furthermore, there were legal risks, one of which was following a trail of a million-dollar funding network back to Silicon Valley. Ultimately, the greatest danger lay in exposing the identities or locations of HNH journalists or their offices. To mitigate these risks, we implemented numerous precautions, such as using encryption and code words, prioritizing face-to-face meetings over messaging apps, and even altering my appearance to help me blend in during shoots.

Why is it important for your movie to reveal the secretive actions of extremist groups on the political right in Europe and America, such as those who instigate violence based on racial prejudice, intolerance, or anti-Semitism – like the anti-immigrant rioters in Britain, the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, or the Capitol attackers in January 2021?

In reality, some far-right individuals are straightforward about their views, but many hide their true intentions and prefer to keep quiet about their funding sources or methods of shaping public opinion. They might publicly express opposition to asylum seekers, but deny being racist; or claim to dislike Islam, but never acknowledge anti-Semitism, for instance. When you delve deeper, by going undercover, you can unmask the full extent of their extremist beliefs and discover hidden associations. Funding for these groups often comes from seemingly respectable sources who would rather not be linked publicly to more vocal extremists.

How did you feel about the London Film Festival’s decision to pull your film?

We were stunned, bewildered, and heartbroken! Their actions were more than just cowardly and have created a potentially harmful precedent. It was disappointing that they failed to understand why it was crucial not to withdraw the film: it mattered for us, but also for political films in general. We proposed various options for showing the film within the festival context: different venues or mediums, but they refused to consider them. The film was chosen back in early June, so they had more than four months to establish safety measures before the October festival.

Do you think that by pulling the film, the festival gave even more power to the far right?

Fear functions as a self-imposed form of suppression, and it was primarily the extreme right who profited from this choice. Those acquainted with the writings of American historian Timothy Snyder will identify the idea of “compliance beforehand.” This situation served as an excellent illustration of that principle.

Lately, Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner attempted to close down the city’s nonprofit art house cinema, O Cinema, after screenings of the Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land” due to his belief that it was anti-Semitic. However, Meiner didn’t succeed in his attempt. The question is whether we are moving towards a trend where politicians and film festivals will start censoring politically charged films?

Absolutely, we’ve encountered this situation ourselves. It seems that the quality of films at certain film festivals is declining. There might be various explanations, and some concerns could be valid, but it’s crucial to establish secure environments – whether physical or virtual – for exhibiting politically charged films. We stand by the principle that cinema-goers should be able to enjoy movies without feeling threatened. Our aim is to maintain the vitality of the film industry in the long term.

Are there specific regions you aim to distribute your film, and is it possible for an American company to be involved in its distribution?

The movie is doing exceptionally well with European broadcasters and enjoying great success at film festivals. However, we’ve received absolutely no interest from American broadcasters yet. It’s hard to fathom why the change in U.S. government hasn’t impacted this.

As a dedicated enthusiast, I’d like to share that “Undercover: Exposing the Far Right” is a captivating production brought to life by Marking Films Inc/Tigerlily. This compelling documentary was brilliantly directed and produced by the talented duo, Havana Marking and Natasha Dack.

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2025-03-25 17:47