Abstract
UNHATE! is an interdisciplinary documentary film that transforms scholarly research on hate into a cinematic tool for public dialogue, education, and compassion-driven intervention. Designed to support the mission of the UCLA Initiative to Study Hate (ISH), the film positions media not as an afterthought to academic research, but as a primary method of inquiry—using aesthetic form and ethical storytelling to explore why people hate, how systemic narratives sustain hatred, and what enables individuals to change. Drawing from my current GSR role with ISH and funded research on discourse, polarization, and reconciliation, UNHATE! will feature scholars, policy experts, community leaders, and former affiliates of hate groups who have undergone personal transformation. Visually dynamic and emotionally resonant, the film will integrate academic interviews with public voices captured in urban environments to create a bold, cinema vérité-style narrative. The project will culminate in a 15–30 minute documentary designed for use in classrooms, ISH panels, and community events, alongside modular content for social media, podcasts, and educational platforms. By fostering attentiveness, perspective-taking, and prosocial engagement, UNHATE! directly advances ISH’s commitment to mitigation through research, and echoes the Bedari Kindness Institute’s vision for cultivating emotional courage and ethical cohabitation.
