The screening was set to take place in the Kiev cinema on 18 October 2016. "The decision was influenced by the recommendations from the Ukrainian foreign ministry. This is the first time that something like this happens. I am surprised that a feature film would cause such emotions, especially while the Ukrainian side had a chance to preview the film", Ewa Figel, the Director of the Polish Institute in Kiev, said in an official statement.

"We were afraid that the film could have caused protests on the streets of Kiev. The community needs to be prepared for this film. Wojciech Smarzowski is well-known in Poland, but not in the Ukraine and it is natural that the scenes presented in this film could cause a negative reaction", Andrij Deszczyca, the Ukrainian Ambassador in Poland, said in an official statement.

The film was produced by Film it in coproduction with Narodowy Instytut Audiowizualny, Denaro – Paweł Karpiński, Canal+ (ITI Neovision), Bemar, Telewizja Polska, Andrzej Łudziński Productions, Odra-Film, Narodowe Centrum Kultury, OXY Net with the support from the Polish Film Institute.

Hatred had its premiere at the 41st Gdynia Film Festival (19-24 September 2016) and it was released in Polish cinemas by Forum Film Polska on 7 October 2016. The film had more than 230,000 admissions in the opening weekend.