Cinemas in South Africa will not be showing the documentary about US First Lady Melania Trump that is set to release worldwide on Friday. Filmfinity, the South African distributor, made the decision public, though it did not explicitly state the reasons behind it.
The documentary, simply titled 'Melania,' is not featured on the websites of major cinema chains in South Africa. A Cape Town independent cinema reached out by the BBC confirmed that they were instructed by Filmfinity not to list the film.
Relations between the US and South Africa have deteriorated over the past year, raising questions on the implications this might have for media and cultural exchanges. Thobashan Govindarajulu from Filmfinity mentioned that recent developments led to the decision not to proceed with the theatrical release, but he did not elaborate on what those developments were.
Additionally, Amazon reportedly invested $35 million to market the documentary, which follows Melania Trump during the 20 days prior to Donald Trump's second inauguration on January 20. It is also believed that Amazon paid around $40 million for the film rights.
As South Africa's two main cinema chains, Ster Kinekor and Nu Metro, do not list show times for 'Melania,' the film is effectively absent from South African cinema goers' options. This situation reflects a broader context of strained diplomatic relations, particularly since Donald Trump's presidency, which included accusations of a 'white genocide' in South Africa and high tariffs imposed on South African goods.
The documentary, simply titled 'Melania,' is not featured on the websites of major cinema chains in South Africa. A Cape Town independent cinema reached out by the BBC confirmed that they were instructed by Filmfinity not to list the film.
Relations between the US and South Africa have deteriorated over the past year, raising questions on the implications this might have for media and cultural exchanges. Thobashan Govindarajulu from Filmfinity mentioned that recent developments led to the decision not to proceed with the theatrical release, but he did not elaborate on what those developments were.
Additionally, Amazon reportedly invested $35 million to market the documentary, which follows Melania Trump during the 20 days prior to Donald Trump's second inauguration on January 20. It is also believed that Amazon paid around $40 million for the film rights.
As South Africa's two main cinema chains, Ster Kinekor and Nu Metro, do not list show times for 'Melania,' the film is effectively absent from South African cinema goers' options. This situation reflects a broader context of strained diplomatic relations, particularly since Donald Trump's presidency, which included accusations of a 'white genocide' in South Africa and high tariffs imposed on South African goods.
