Cinemas in South Africa will not be showing the documentary about US First Lady Melania Trump that is due to be released around the world on Friday. The South African distributor Filmfinity has decided not to release it, as reported by the New York Times and local website News24, although the company has not explicitly stated the reasons for this move.
The film, titled 'Melania', is not listed on the websites of the country’s major cinema chains. An independent cinema in Cape Town mentioned that it was contacted by Filmfinity and instructed not to screen the documentary.
The relationship between the US and South Africa has significantly deteriorated over the past year, which may have influenced this decision. Reports suggest that Amazon has invested heavily in the film’s marketing and acquisition, paying around $35 million to promote it and approximately $40 million for its rights.
Filmfinity's head of sales, Thobashan Govindarajulu, alluded to the current climate and recent developments but did not explain further. Attempts to gather further comment from Filmfinity have been unsuccessful.
The film, titled 'Melania', is not listed on the websites of the country’s major cinema chains. An independent cinema in Cape Town mentioned that it was contacted by Filmfinity and instructed not to screen the documentary.
The relationship between the US and South Africa has significantly deteriorated over the past year, which may have influenced this decision. Reports suggest that Amazon has invested heavily in the film’s marketing and acquisition, paying around $35 million to promote it and approximately $40 million for its rights.
Filmfinity's head of sales, Thobashan Govindarajulu, alluded to the current climate and recent developments but did not explain further. Attempts to gather further comment from Filmfinity have been unsuccessful.
