Melania Trump documentary not showing in South African cinemas

The documentary film "Melania," which follows Melania Trump in the 20 days leading up to her husband's second inauguration, will not be shown in South African cinemas. Filmfinity, the South African distributor, decided against releasing the film, despite its global release scheduled for Friday. The distributor cited "recent developments" and the "current climate" as reasons for the decision, but did not elaborate further. The film is not promoted on major South African cinema chain websites, and at least one independent cinema was instructed not to list it. This decision comes amid deteriorating relations between the US and South Africa, marked by tariffs and aid cuts imposed by the Trump administration. Amazon reportedly paid a significant sum for the film's rights and marketing.

The documentary "Melania," about Melania Trump, has been pulled from theaters in South Africa by its local distributor, Filmfinity, just before its scheduled release on Friday, January 28, 2026. The distributor cited "recent developments" as the reason for the cancellation but declined to elaborate. The film, directed by Brett Ratner, who faced sexual misconduct allegations in 2017, follows Ms. Trump leading up to her husband's second inauguration. While President Trump promoted the film, it has faced criticism and reportedly low ticket sales. The decision to cancel the release also comes amid strained relations between the South African government and President Trump, who has been critical of the country.