South African Theaters Skip Melania Documentary
South African cinemas will not be showing the new documentary about US First Lady Melania Trump, which is set for a global release this Friday. The film, titled Melania, follows the First Lady during the 20 days leading up to former President Donald Trump’s second inauguration.
Decision Cited “Current Climate”
Thobashan Govindarajulu, head of sales and marketing at Filmfinity, said the theatrical release was canceled “based on recent developments” and “given the current climate.” However, he did not explain what these developments entailed.
Independent cinemas in Cape Town reported being directly instructed by Filmfinity not to list the film. Meanwhile, South Africa’s major cinema chains, Ster Kinekor and Nu Metro, do not show any screening times for the documentary.
Amazon’s Investment in the Film
Amazon reportedly paid $35 million to promote Melania and around $40 million to acquire distribution rights. US First Lady Melania Trump participated in promotional events, including ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
Despite the global push, South African audiences will miss out on a theatrical release.
Strained US-South Africa Relations
The decision comes amid tense diplomatic relations between the US and South Africa over the past year. Former President Trump promoted claims of a “white genocide” against South Africa’s Afrikaner community. In May, he confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa over the issue during a meeting at the White House.
US-South Africa tensions also include high tariffs on South African goods, reduced aid programs, and South Africa’s role in bringing a case against Israel to the International Court of Justice. The US strongly rejected the allegation of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
