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Coventina

(29,376 posts)
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 04:10 PM 6 hrs ago

Melania Trump Documentary Pulled From South African Theaters

“Melania,” the new documentary about the first lady, scheduled to open worldwide on Friday, has been pulled from theaters in South Africa after the film’s local distributor said on Wednesday that it would no longer release it.

“Based on recent developments, we’ve taken the decision to not go ahead with a theatrical release in territory,” said Thobashan Govindarajulu, the head of sales and marketing for the distributor, Filmfinity.

Mr. Govindarajulu declined to say what recent developments had led to the decision, but said that the company was not pressured or asked to pull the film. “That was our decision,” he said. The decision was first reported by the South African outlet News24.

The promotion of the film about Melania Trump has been as polarizing as her husband, President Trump, who has touted the movie as a “must watch.” But theaters have reported thin advanced ticket sales, despite Amazon investing $40 million for the rights to the film and spending tens of millions more on marketing, which industry analysts saw as a big risk.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/28/world/africa/melania-trump-documentary-south-africa-cancel.html

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What Mr. Govindarajulu didn't say, but wanted to was, "We were not going to waste screens on a film literally no one was going to pay to see."

18 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Melania Trump Documentary Pulled From South African Theaters (Original Post) Coventina 6 hrs ago OP
From Jimmy Kimmel last night (Tuesday).. Permanut 6 hrs ago #1
How embarrassing. sheshe2 5 hrs ago #2
I met Danny glover a couple of months ago at a charity event. pfitz59 3 hrs ago #12
Omg LilElf70 5 hrs ago #3
Will Trump impose a huge tariff or refuse to accept white Afrikaners? Norrrm 4 hrs ago #4
Start with Eloon. llmart 4 hrs ago #7
I can't imagine the release in Europe will go smoothly wolfie001 4 hrs ago #5
Right - nobody cares about South Africa, but it opens all over Europe on Friday FakeNoose 4 hrs ago #8
Golly, Trump's week is going badly. Good thing Melania lives in NYC or he'd have to sleep on the couch Attilatheblond 4 hrs ago #6
They haven't been together for a long time FakeNoose 4 hrs ago #9
a vanity project LiberalLovinLug 4 hrs ago #10
Definitely a vanity project FakeNoose 3 hrs ago #11
That's what it is, a gift from Bezos. He doesn't care of it makes money LiberalLovinLug 1 hr ago #16
Isn't this just some backdoor way for Jeff Bezos to bribe Trump? (NM) biocube 3 hrs ago #13
Pull it from everywhere! mysteryowl 3 hrs ago #14
The theaters will pull it when nobody buys tickets FakeNoose 3 hrs ago #15
Melania might be embarrassed or upset Grammy23 58 min ago #17
Hmmm purr-rat beauty 48 min ago #18

Permanut

(8,091 posts)
1. From Jimmy Kimmel last night (Tuesday)..
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 04:15 PM
6 hrs ago

"The only people who are calling this a 'must watch' are the people in it".

sheshe2

(96,390 posts)
2. How embarrassing.
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 04:35 PM
5 hrs ago

So sad.....








You don't really want to immigrate to S. Africa.

Why?

Because you are black.

“Free South Africa, ya dumb son of a bitch!! Ya dumb son of a bitch!”

pfitz59

(12,448 posts)
12. I met Danny glover a couple of months ago at a charity event.
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 06:49 PM
3 hrs ago

We talked for about half an hour. Very nice man.

wolfie001

(7,291 posts)
5. I can't imagine the release in Europe will go smoothly
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 05:55 PM
4 hrs ago

They should do the same. Thanks, but no thanks

FakeNoose

(40,508 posts)
8. Right - nobody cares about South Africa, but it opens all over Europe on Friday
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 06:12 PM
4 hrs ago

Also it's opening in the US on Friday.

I find it hard to believe that any US theaters have actually booked it?
Maybe the Kennedy Center whoops - the Chump Kennedy Center - they might have it, with no tickets sold.

Attilatheblond

(8,469 posts)
6. Golly, Trump's week is going badly. Good thing Melania lives in NYC or he'd have to sleep on the couch
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 05:59 PM
4 hrs ago

And... well ya never know who might be stalking around the White House

LiberalLovinLug

(14,600 posts)
10. a vanity project
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 06:28 PM
4 hrs ago

No Democrat or other No Trumper will go see it.
But even in the MAGAT crowd, I don't think she's personally that popular. She's hardly ever in public supporting her fat orange husband, she's a euro fer'ner who still can't speak English properly.

FakeNoose

(40,508 posts)
11. Definitely a vanity project
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 06:45 PM
3 hrs ago

... so why did Jeff Bezos throw in $75 million? Because money means so little to someone so filthy rich, that's why. He is happy to donate that and buy "friendship" with Chump. I doubt that he will even go to the opening.

Oh I almost forgot. They're offering this horrid movie on Amazon Prime. (yawn)

As a personal note - I have several friends with foreign accents. Many of my best friends are born in Europe, Germany and elsewhere. I would never fault a person on their accent. But that's just me.

LiberalLovinLug

(14,600 posts)
16. That's what it is, a gift from Bezos. He doesn't care of it makes money
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 09:25 PM
1 hr ago

Just to be clear, I don't mind an accent. It's her inability to even use proper grammar after years living in the US: "Be Best!"
Unless she's plagerizing someone else's good grammar

Grammy23

(6,099 posts)
17. Melania might be embarrassed or upset
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 09:31 PM
58 min ago

If the movie bombs. But let’s get real. She already collected her $40 million to comfort her. So really— what does she actually care? It’s not like she has to depend on sales for her cut. Like any good gold digger, she got her money up front.

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