Cinemas in South Africa will not be showing the documentary about US First Lady Melania Trump that is due to be released around the world on Friday.
The South African distributor Filmfinity has decided not to release it, its head of sales and marketing told the New York Times and South Africa-based website News24. The company was not explicit about the reasons behind the move.
The film, titled 'Melania', is not promoted on the websites of the country's main cinema chains. One Cape Town independent cinema mentioned being contacted by Filmfinity and told not to list the film.
Relations between the US and South Africa have seriously deteriorated over the past year, leading to heightened tensions, which may have influenced the decision to pull the film.
Amazon reportedly paid $35 million to market the film that follows Melania Trump in the 20 days leading up to her husband's second inauguration on January 20 last year, and paid an additional $40 million for the rights to the film.
Filmfinity's Thobashan Govindarajulu confirmed that 'based on recent developments,' the decision was made not to proceed with a theatrical release in South Africa, citing the 'current climate'.
The specifics of these recent developments have not been elaborated by the distributor, leaving local film enthusiasts disappointed.
Despite attempts by the BBC to reach out to Filmfinity, comments regarding the decision have not been forthcoming. Other cinemas report being similarly instructed to omit the film from their listings.
As tensions escalate, the absence of 'Melania' from South African cinema screens illustrates further complications in US-South African relations, with past grievances regarding tariffs and perceptions of US foreign policy looming over cultural exchanges.
