The Hater


The Hater is a 2020 Polish thriller drama film directed by Jan Komasa and written by Mateusz Pacewicz. The plot centres around an expelled university student from Warsaw who attempts to steer the internet, causing widespread hatred and violence. It premiered on 6 March 2020 in Poland and went on to win the Best International Narrative Feature Award at Tribeca Film Festival.
Whilst fictional, the film does relate to ongoing real-life situations such as the use of Twitter or other social media to psychologically manipulate users and navigate public opinion. It is a representation of how online-propelled hatred can lead to severe consequences and real-life casualties. Three weeks after the filming was completed, Paweł Adamowicz, city mayor of Gdańsk and a liberal politician frequently targeted by online haters, was stabbed to death during a live broadcast charity event.

Plot

Tomasz Giemza, a disgraced law student obsessed with a progressive, upper-class Krasucki family takes a job at a public relations company. What seemed like just another assignment turns out to be a quickly developing troll farm, where he excels in the business of spreading fake news and online hatred targeting famous personalities, internet celebrities and politicians. With time, Tomasz begins to use his newly acquired skills in order to stalk, harass and ultimately control the Krasuckis.

Cast

began on 28 October 2018 and ended on 22 December. It was primarily filmed in Warsaw and surrounding areas.
The Hater is considered a sequel or a spin-off to Komasa's previous 2011 film Suicide Room.

Assassination of Paweł Adamowicz

On 13 January 2019, Paweł Adamowicz, the liberal mayor of Gdańsk in northern Poland, was stabbed in the heart while speaking on stage at the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity event. He was taken to Gdańsk University Clinical Centre in critical condition, where he underwent five-hour long surgery. He died the following day. The detained killer was a 27-year-old man who was a vehement critic of liberal and democratic Civic Platform party Adamowicz was a member of. The police confirmed he was widely active on social media.
The film drew remarkable and unexpected parallels with the attack on Adamowicz. Similarly to the fictional character Rudnicki, Paweł Adamowicz was a long-time target of an overwhelming hate speech campaign fueled by politicians deriving from far-right and nationalist circles.

Critical response

The film was positively reviewed by audiences and critics – Ola Salwa on Cineuropa stated "The Hater is a thrilling tale of an anti-hero and of the survival of the fittest, which in this case means those who have a strong and agile thumb and index finger". Brian Tallerico from Roger Ebert praised the film's interesting moral narrative. New York Times and Variety positively reviewed the plot, stating that it "effectively integrates concerns about how easily people are manipulated".

Awards

The Hater premiered at Tribeca Film Festival in the International Narrative Competition and won Best International Narrative Feature award. The jury comprised film professionals among whom were Danny Boyle and William Hurt.