Simon Klose’s deep-dive documentary follows an online investigator into the digital networks of white supremacists
Some call her the real-life “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”, Simon Klose introduces the proficient subject of his tense documentary. My Vingren is a Swedish investigative journalist who works for the quarterly anti-racist magazine Expo. Founded by Sieg Larsson, author of the “Millennium” trilogy, the magazine centers on exposing far-right and anti-democratic movements. Klose apparently couldn’t resist the comparison with Larsson’s hero, since it fits perfectly the thriller style of his urgent investigative piece. Part exposé, part character-driven, the documentary follows Vingren on her quest to expose the elusive founder of an online right-wing forum. The inquisitive camera closely watches the proficient journalist as she infiltrates the private forum with a carefully constructed fake persona.
Sneaking into the secluded spaces full of antisemitic memes, nazi regalia and racist slogans works disturbingly easy. Constant posting of corresponding hashtags and a male profile boasting nationalist pride are enough to court a host of invitations. Open access might look like a weak link in the digital fascist sphere, but it’s actually its strength. As Vingren explains in her background commentary, this online world mainly consists of young white males. They look for appreciation, a sense of belonging and easy targets for their anger. The algorithm might pick that up before they do and direct them to the extremist communities who promise it. This is where the documentary’s second important character comes in.
Anika Collier Navaroli is an U.S.-based lawyer and former member of Twitter’s Safety Policy Team. She was the one who got the Twitter account of former and now elect president Trump suspended. However, her numerous warnings about the dangerous potential of online hate speech went unheeded. The consequences were often fatal. The tight editing cuts directly from the violent ramblings on Twitch, YouTube and Telegram to deadly public attacks by followers of these forums. To his credit, Klose doesn’t wallow in real-life atrocities or vile propaganda. Excerpts from the footage that some right-wing attackers took of their crimes and glimpses of extremist posts have a clear dramatic purpose.
These insights underline why Vingren’s work is essential. The words of the far-right figureheads she tracks down incite real violence. It’s repercussions also hit Vingren. Death threats forced her to get a secret identity. Nevertheless, she conducts her search unwavering. Her clam, clear-focused demeanor makes her a perfect guide, both through the white supremacist swamp and Klose’s layered exposition. With a runtime just under 90 minutes, it moves at a brisk pace through its complex topic. Kate Havnevik’s high-strung score and a few criminalist gimmicks such as turning the screen into an evidence board can feel a tad theatrical. But Navaroli’s precise, piercing analysis of the profitability and predominance of hate speech and Vingren’s level-headed approach keep the scenario grounded.
A small number of talking heads interviews conducted by Vingren counterbalance her risky covert research. The latter is fleshed out with surveillance camera footage, Google maps images and photos from her target’s digital trail. The investigation’s surprising results reaffirm Vingren’s proposed intention: to understand how someone can become utterly absorbed by an ideology of hate. Similarly, Klose’s documentary aims at understanding the mechanics and methods of hate speech. While its suspense-driven narrative can be a little too attention-grabbing, its determined protagonist and divisive subject matter are undeniably compelling. In times when hate speech is – once again – the weapon of those at the political and economical top, it is alarmingly timely.
- OT: Hacking Hate
- Director: Simon Klose
- Screenplay: Simon Klose
- Year: 2025
- Distribution | Production ©
