For days, the documentary “Melania”, conceived and produced by Melania Trump herself, the First Lady of the USA, has occupied the most expensive advertising spaces in the country. But the campaign looks more like a show of force than a viable film project.

With a staggering budget of $40 million and another $35 million for advertising, the film is expected to gross less than $10 million — a clear financial loss. Amazon, through MGM, has accepted this, because the goal is not to make a profit, but to please President Donald Trump.

The documentary, shot shortly before Trump’s second inauguration as president, includes elements from Melania’s autobiography and was directed by Brett Ratner, a discredited figure in Hollywood after accusations of sexual harassment. His involvement was not Amazon’s choice, but the Trump family’s, through adviser Marc Beckman. This makes the project look more like a political and personal operation than an artistic one.

Amazon is spending huge sums to make the film seem important: giant billboards, advertisements during NFL games, lavish events like the gala premiere or the rental of The Sphere arena in Las Vegas.

However, all this seems like a facade to cover the lack of real public interest. In a few weeks, the documentary will move to Prime Video, where it is expected to promote a three-part series about Melania’s life – another attempt to impose her figure.

The operation has also served as a springboard for Ratner’s rehabilitation. With Trump’s backing, he is expected to return with Rush Hour 4, although skeptics consider the project unsustainable.

The once-successful saga no longer has the audience it did in the 1990s, while the allegations against Ratner make his return moot. Warner Bros. has given up production, licensing the rights now owned by Eagle Pictures, while Paramount has agreed to distribute the film in the US thanks to political connections.

In essence, “Melania” is not an ordinary documentary, but an expensive propaganda tool, aimed at strengthening the image of the Trump family and reviving the career of a discredited director. The public seems disinterested, while the industry sees the project as a political and not a cultural investment./tesheshi/

Source: prizrenpost