Cinemas in South Africa will not be showing a documentary about US First Lady Melania Trump, scheduled for global release on Friday. Filmfinity, the South African distributor, has made the decision not to release the film, although the reasons behind this move remain unclear. The documentary titled 'Melania' seems to be absent from the promotional materials of major cinema chains in South Africa. A Cape Town independent cinema reported receiving a call from Filmfinity instructing them not to include it on their listings.

Relations between the US and South Africa have deteriorated significantly over the past year, prompting speculation regarding this decision. Amazon is reportedly backing the film, having paid $35 million to market it and approximately $40 million for its rights. Filmfinity's Thobashan Govindarajulu indicated that the decision reflects the current climate and trends, without elaborating on what those developments might be. The BBC's attempts to get further information from Filmfinity have not been successful, but it has been confirmed that the film will not play in local cinemas, as shown by the unavailability of showtimes on major cinema websites. President Donald Trump has faced backlash for promoting contentious claims regarding South African politics and has implemented tariffs affecting trade relations, which have fueled tensions further.