A documentary about First Lady Melania Trump was unexpectedly removed from cinemas in South Africa ahead of its worldwide premiere. The distributor cited “recent developments” but did not provide specific reasons for the cancellation.
The motion picture, named “Melania,” was screened globally on Jan. 30 in nearly 30 nations. However, Filmfinity, the South African distributor, announced on Jan. 28 that the film’s screening in South Africa was cancelled.
Filmfinity’s head of sales and marketing, Thobashan Govindarajulu, opted not to share detailed reasons for the abrupt withdrawal of the film.
The film is a documentary that tracked the first lady for 20 days leading up to the 2025 inauguration as she prepared for her return to the White House. The film was directed by Brett Ratner and produced by Amazon MGM Studios, which acquired the documentary rights for $40 million.
Mark Sardi, chief executive of Ster-Kinekor, a major South African cinema chain, commented on the cancellation in a New York Times interview. “Our basic position would be we’re not in the censorship business,” he said.
Sardi maintained that there was no external pressure on Filmfinity to remove the film. The withdrawal comes amidst strained relations between the United States and South Africa. In August 2025, President Trump imposed 30% tariffs on South African goods—among the highest globally—following political disagreements over trade policy and other issues. However, the distributor did not explicitly link the film’s cancellation to these diplomatic tensions.
Despite being dropped in South Africa, the movie continued to be released in cinemas in other regions, including the United Kingdom, Spain, and Mexico. Amazon MGM Studios has allocated approximately $35 million for global marketing for the film’s release. FilmNation is responsible for international distribution and marketing, collaborating with buyers across the globe.
The documentary achieved its projected opening weekend gross, earning approximately $7 million domestically. According to box office tracking, this marked the highest opening for a non-concert documentary since Chimpanzee’s $10.7 million debut in 2012. The film finished third at the box office behind Send Help ($20 million) and Iron Lung ($18 million). The audience was predominantly white (75%), female (70%), and over 55 years old (72%), with top-performing markets including Dallas, Tampa, Phoenix, Houston, Atlanta, and West Palm Beach.
Early ticket sales show regional disparities across different markets. According to an analysis of nearly 1,400 screenings by WIRED, only two theatres had sold-out showings before opening day: AMC Classic Indian River 24 in Vero Beach, Florida, and AMC Independence Commons 20 in Independence, Missouri.
However, the situation in the United Kingdom paints a different picture. According to Tim Richards, chief executive of Vue, one of the UK’s leading cinema operators, ticket sales have been disappointing, as reported by Deadline. For the first Friday screening at Vue’s flagship location in Islington, London, only one ticket had been sold. The 6 p.m. showing at the same venue had sold just two tickets.
The decision by South Africa to pull the movie on Wednesday, mere days before its Friday release, has caused significant disruption to the rollout. Such last-minute changes are rare in the film distribution industry, where cinema bookings are usually secured weeks, if not months, in advance.
Distribution in almost 30 countries indicates an international interest in U.S. political figures beyond traditional news consumption. The decision to release the movie in cinemas, rather than exclusively streaming it, suggests a belief that viewers will pay to watch the content in theatres, rather than wait for home viewing options.
The contrast between strong presales in rural U.S. markets and weak ticket sales in major international cities such as London demonstrates varying levels of interest across different demographics and regions. These patterns may be indicative of differing political views, media consumption habits, or general curiosity about the subject matter.
The cancellation in South Africa has been the most significant disruption to the release plan so far, although the film has been screened in most of its intended markets.