“The Apprentice” Premieres at Cannes, Sparks Controversy with Depiction of Young Trump
The Cannes Film Festival witnessed the premiere of “The Apprentice” on May 20th, a film quickly igniting a media firestorm.
Directed by Iranian filmmaker Ali Abbasi, known for “Holy Spider” and “Border,” and starring Sebastian Stan (“Winter Soldier”) and Maria Bakalova (“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”), “The Apprentice” delves into the formative years of Donald Trump’s career in the New York real estate world. Despite sharing its name with Trump’s reality TV show, the film focuses less on his on-screen persona and more on his early business dealings.
Contentious Scenes and Allegations
Early viewers have noted the film’s surprising and at times darkly comedic portrayal of Trump, including scenes depicting treatments for baldness and liposuction to address weight gain. However, the most talked-about scene involves a violent sexual assault of his then-wife, Ivana. The scene depicts Trump forcibly assaulting Ivana after an argument, accompanied by crude dialogue.
Ivana Trump, who passed away in 2022, was married to Donald Trump from 1977 to 1992 and had three children with him. During their divorce, she initially accused Trump of rape but later retracted the allegations. In 2015, she publicly dismissed the claims, stating that the “marital rape” allegations were unfounded.
Trump’s Team Responds with Legal Threats
Unsurprisingly, the film has drawn strong condemnation from Trump’s camp. Steven Cheung, the campaign’s communications director, issued a statement to American media outlets, threatening legal action over the film’s “false claims.” He described the film as “pure fiction” and “malicious defamation,” unworthy of being seen and deserving of being “dumped in a garbage can and burned.”
Cheung also framed the film as a politically motivated attack by “Hollywood elites” attempting to interfere with the upcoming US election, fearing Trump’s potential return to the White House.
Critical Reception and Behind-the-Scenes Drama
While “The Apprentice” received a 10-minute standing ovation after its premiere, initial critical reactions have been mixed. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film currently holds a split rating, with some critics praising the performances of Stan and Jeremy Strong, while others found the film superficial and lacking depth.
Karl Delossantos, an editor at The New York Times, criticized the film on social media, calling it “terrible” and “pointless,” suggesting that it offered nothing new compared to existing parodies of Trump.
The Dan Snyder Connection
Adding another layer of intrigue, “The Apprentice” has a fascinating backstory. Reportedly conceived in 2018, the film is a co-production between six small film companies from Canada, Ireland, and the United States. One of these companies, Kinematics, is allegedly owned by Dan Snyder, a longtime friend of Trump and a Jewish-American billionaire.
Snyder, the former owner of the Washington Commanders NFL team, made his fortune in advertising and marketing. According to Variety, Snyder initially invested in the film believing it would portray Trump in a positive light. However, after viewing an early cut of the film in February, Snyder was reportedly furious and demanded changes, including the removal of the controversial rape scene.
Uncertain Future
Despite Snyder’s objections, the filmmakers appear to have maintained their vision. However, with “The Apprentice” still seeking a North American distributor, Kinematics’ influence could potentially create obstacles for the film’s release.
As the US gears up for the presidential election in November, “The Apprentice” is poised to become a flashpoint in the political discourse. While Cannes Film Festival director Thierry Frémaux has expressed hope that art and politics can remain separate, the complex relationships surrounding the film suggest that such a separation may be wishful thinking.