Review of Taught to Hate

I was lucky enough to catch a screening of this short film while visiting in California. It is a story of an American family who is faced with tragedy caused by hate. The movie was directed and produced entirely by a new comer who happens to be of Ecuadorian descent and chose to write this story in response to the numerous crimes committed against immigrants seeking work in the United States. The movie is very indulging and the camera work is very good. The acting is very impressive with the majority of characters being unknowns with the exception of the main character. The boy is played by Brandon Hannan who starred in The Sopranos as the son of the Gay mobster whose show name escapes me right now.

The movie leaves an impression and gets it's message across successfully. Most hate crimes are factors driven by culture and ignorance that if left unchecked lead to even more pain and anguish. Besides being a great short film with a message this movie should be praised for it's important look into the problem with hate crime in America.