Major cinema chains in South Africa have withdrawn a documentary about United States First Lady Melania Trump just days before its scheduled release, citing concerns linked to what distributors described as “the current climate.”
The documentary, titled Melania, was absent from the listings of leading cinema houses Nu Metro and Ster-Kinekor on Thursday, one day ahead of its planned international release on January 30. Local media outlet News24 reported on Wednesday that the South African distributor, Filmfinity, had abruptly dropped the film.
“Given the current climate, the film will no longer be releasing theatrically in the territory,” News24 quoted Filmfinity’s head of marketing, Thobashan Govindarajulu, as saying. No further clarification was provided on what specific factors influenced the decision, and attempts by AFP to reach Filmfinity for comment were unsuccessful.
Nu Metro later confirmed to AFP on Thursday that it had been instructed by Filmfinity to withdraw the documentary. “The rights sit with Filmfinity, and it’s at their request that we are not releasing it,” the cinema chain said in a statement.
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The decision comes amid strained diplomatic relations between South Africa and the administration of US President Donald Trump. Washington has been openly critical of Pretoria’s stance on several domestic and international issues. Trump has also repeatedly made false claims alleging a “genocide” against South Africa’s white Afrikaans community, a claim widely rejected by South African authorities, while inviting members of the group to relocate to the United States.
While the distributor has not explicitly linked the withdrawal to political tensions, the timing of the move has fueled speculation about the intersection of global politics, public sentiment, and cultural distribution in South Africa’s entertainment industry.