June 19, 2026 | Filed under: News
New Mexico filmmaker and college teacher Harry Gantz worked diligently on the documentary “American Hate – Survivors Speak.”
The hard work was recognized at the Las Cruces International Film Festival in April as it picked up “Best Documentary” and “Grand Jury Prize” awards.
The documentary confronts the rise of violent hate crimes in the United States through the voices of survivors and their families.
Hate crimes have intensified over the last decade, impacting communities of color, religious and ethnic minorities, and LGBTQIA communities. Between 2014 and 2022, reported hate crimes more than doubled; advocacy organizations say the true number is multiples higher.
These first-person accounts allow viewers to see, hear, and feel what it means to be targeted because of who you are or what you believe. The film moves from the scene of each crime to its long-term consequences: the grief, the haunting memories, and the permanent rupture in everyday life. Yet despite the devastation, survivors and their communities have discovered a renewed sense of purpose to advocate, organize, and seek justice.
Gantz teaches at Northern New Mexico College in Film & Digital Media Arts (FDMA), which has students study and practice of media, communication and digital arts, as well as basic filmmaking, television, audio production and photography.
The film is currently on a festival run and more local screenings to come.