South Africa’s biggest cinema chains dropped the Melania Trump documentary film like a hot potato just before its release on Friday.
Ster-Kinekor and Nu Metro have withdrawn the documentary Melania – a film centered on US First Lady Melania Trump – from their schedules a day before its international release, leaving audiences and industry watchers asking why.
Originally slated for screening across the country from Friday, 30 January 2026, the documentary was quietly removed from theatre listings a day before its planned debut, with the local distributor Filmfinity citing “the current climate” as reason for the sudden cancellation.
Melania Trump film withdrawn at 11th hour before SA release
According to international and local reports, the film – officially titled Melania: Twenty Days to History and produced by Amazon MGM Studios – had been scheduled to open in major South African cinemas through Filmfinity’s theatrical distribution deal.
However, just before rollout, the film was pulled at the request of the distributor.
“Given the current climate, the film will no longer be releasing theatrically in (the) territory,” Filmfinity’s head of sales and marketing, Thobashan Govindarajulu, told the New York Times and News24.
Both Nu Metro and Ster-Kinekor stated they had been instructed by Filmfinity to remove Melania from their listings, emphasising that the rights remain with the distributor and that the decision was not taken lightly.
Why ‘the current climate’ matters
While neither Filmfinity nor the cinemas provided specific details beyond the vague reference to the “current climate,” media reports and analysts suggest the decision may be tied to broader political and cultural sensitivities.
South African government relations with the administration of US President Donald Trump has increasingly deteriorated over recent years.
Comments from Trump about South Africa’s internal affairs – including controversial claims about “white genocide” in South Africa – have drawn criticism since the US established its Afrikaner refugee programme.
Poor ticket sales ahead of global launch
Industry insiders also point to weak advance interest in the film as a possible factor.
Reports from international outlets indicate that promotional momentum for Melania has been weak in several markets, with poor ticket sales and tepid audience anticipation even before its global launch.
SA cancellation not due to a government ban
Importantly, experts and local distributors emphasise that the film was not banned by South African authorities, nor did the government issue any official prohibition, according to a report by Deverto.
Instead, the withdrawal appears to reflect a distribution decision influenced by market conditions and sensitivities around the documentary’s subject matter and potential political connotations.
The multi-million dollar ‘Melania’
Amazon has reportedly paid an eyewatering total of $75 million (around R1.2 billion) to $40 million for the rights to the film and $35 million to market Melania.
The documentary itself – directed by Brett Ratner and following the First Lady’s life in the 20 days leading up to her husband’s second inauguration in January last year – is still being released globally and is expected to hit streaming platforms.
