Eurovision doco A Song Called Hate gets Aussie premiere

A documentary which tracks the explosive 2019 Eurovision competition will soon be available to Australian audiences.

A Song Called Hate follows Iceland’s Hatari as they venture to Tel Aviv in Israel to compete in the competition.

The group is described as a “satirical anti-capitalist, BDSM techno band” who were unexpectedly catapulted to global stardom and selected to compete in Eurovision.

They decided to use the opportunity to ‘give a voice to the voiceless’ and highlight the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

This saw them “facing down opposition, hostility and intimidation”, publicity for the film says, as they staged “one of the most internationally televised live political protests in the competition’s history”.

“The band’s journey from Reykjavik to Tel Aviv becomes the vehicle for an often funny, always fascinating cinematic exploration of the freedom of expression, the social responsibility of creative individuals in our confused world, and the role of art as an agent for change,” a statement today said.

The documentary will examine how the artists cope both on and off the stage, and how they navigate criticism coming from all sides.

It will be available from Thursday February 24 in Australia on documentary and current affairs streaming service iwonder.

CEO James Bridges noted the power of the band and the documentary.

“A Song Called Hate is an inspiring story of hope, bravery and selflessness, as a group of young artists guided by their conscience put themselves at risk to fight a battle far from their own doorstep. Thought-provoking, touching and at times, incredibly tense, behind Hatari’s confronting façade, we come to know a group of soulful, empathic individuals just trying to do what they think is right, despite what it might mean for each of them when it comes time to face the music,” he said.

Iwonder offers a 14-day free trial, with monthly sunscriptions subsequently costing $6.99.