‘Fear Is Its Own Form of Censorship’

A documentary exposing a network of far-right activists in the U.K. has been pulled from the BFI London Film Festival at the last minute over safety concerns. 

Due to the content of “Undercover: Exposing the Far Right,” the film was yet to be formally announced by the festival, which was set to unveil it on Saturday as having its world premiere that evening. However, organizers have now said the screening won’t be taking place. 

“After exploring all the viable options to screen this film at a public film festival we took the heartbreaking decision to not present ‘Undercover: Exposing the Far Right’ at the LFF,” festival director Kristy Matheson told the Observer newspaper. “I think the film is exceptional and easily one of the best documentaries I have seen this year. However, festival workers have the right to feel safe and that their mental health and well being is respected in their workplace.”

Matheson said it was a decision “we did not take lightly,” but was one taken after speaking to colleagues. She added: “The film is incredibly important and we wish it the best.”

From director Havana Marking, a Sundance winner for “Afghan Star” and also behind “Smash & Grab: The Story of the Pink Panthers,” “Undercover: Exposing the Far Right” follows investigators from the organization Hope Not Hate as they attempt to track down members of violent far-right group planning demonstrations and intimidation campaigns. The film also investigates a leading British far-right activist and his connection to a U.S. multimillionaire. 

Speaking to Variety, Marking said she didn’t want to criticize the festival and thought the decision was borne from a “genuine fear.” But she added that, “To me, fear is its own form of censorship, it’s not deliberate, but it works out that way and the only people benefiting from that decision are the far right.”

Marking said the U.K. was now in a “new reality,” post the race riots that took place earlier in the year and the various victories of the far right across Europe. “And we as an industry need to work out how we deal with it, because it’s not going away. We can’t silence the films,” she said. “What I’m terrified of is that now London will be like, ‘We can’t show political films at all.’ That would be the worst outcome.”

“Undercover: Exposing the Far Right” marked the first time in Hope Not Hate’s 20-year history that it had granted behind-the-scenes access to a documentary film crew. 

“The film reveals how Hope Not Hate exposes and tackles the far right, often while facing abuse and death threats,” its CEO Nick Lowles said in a statement sent to Variety. “Safety must always be an upmost priority. But we can’t deny that it is disappointing to see the brave work of our staff being denied the widest possible audience.Now, more than ever, the true nature of the far right, in Britain and abroad, needs to be exposed.”

“Undercover: Exposing the Far Right” will now have its premiere on U.K. network Channel 4 on Monday.