South Africa Pulls Plug on Melania Trump Documentary Amid Tensions
In a surprise move, South African cinema houses have cancelled the screening of a documentary about US First Lady Melania Trump, citing 'the current climate' as the reason. The decision comes just ahead of the film's international release on January 30.Documentary Pulled from Cinemas
The documentary, titled 'Melania', was set to hit screens in South Africa on January 30, but it has now been pulled by distributor Filmfinity. According to local media reports, the film was not listed on the websites of Nu Metro and Ster Kinekor theatres on Thursday, sparking speculation about the reasons behind its cancellation.
Distributor Cites 'Current Climate' as Reason
In a statement, Filmfinity's head of marketing, Thobashan Govindarajulu, said that the film would no longer be releasing theatrically in South Africa due to 'the current climate'. However, it remains unclear what specific factors contributed to this decision.
Ties Between South Africa and US Administration Tense
The move has sparked speculation about the strained ties between South Africa's government and the administration of President Donald Trump. The US president has been critical of Pretoria's stance on various domestic and international policies, including his repeated claims that South Africa is behind a 'genocide' of the white Afrikaans community.
The cancellation of the documentary screening in South Africa highlights the complex web of relationships between nations and their leaders. As tensions continue to simmer between Pretoria and Washington, it remains to be seen how this development will impact future collaborations or exchanges between the two countries.
