The makers of “The Apprentice” have launched a Kickstarter campaign to ensure Ali Abbasi’s Donald Trump film, one of Telluride’s most popular tickets, reaches the widest audience when it opens less than a month before the U.S. presidential election.
The crowdfunding campaign, “Release The Apprentice,” was launched days after it was confirmed that Briarcliff Entertainment would release the drama about President Trump’s early relationship with his mentor, Roy Cohn, in the US on October 11. President Trump will run for office on November 5 alongside Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.
The donations will primarily cover marketing costs to support the feature, which reportedly cost around $16 million to produce.
The campaign has tiered reward levels based on donation amount, with a $25 donation earning you a streaming copy of the film after its theatrical release and a $100 donation earning you access to the end credits.
The film stars Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong as Trump and Cohn, and Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump. More senior donors will receive one of three wigs worn by Stan on screen, as well as VIP tickets to the film’s New York premiere.
Donors will receive an official “Backer Badge Kit” design to promote the film and campaign.
“The Apprentice is first and foremost about humanism, which makes it fundamentally different from all the political noise,” said executive producer Amy Baer.
“Despite the film’s integrity, the Trump campaign tried to suppress it without even seeing it,” added Dan Beckerman, the film’s producer. “The idea that artists can no longer freely criticize those in power should concern us all, and we need your help in firmly rejecting this dangerous precedent.”
Trump’s lawyers tried to block a U.S. deal for Abbasi’s world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, but with help from Briarcliff and with executive producer James Shani of Rich Spirit, the film’s sponsor, resolving another issue, the release appears likely to go ahead as planned.
The company bought Kinematics’ stake in the film, which was owned by Dan Snyder, a billionaire donor to Trump and former owner of the Washington Commanders football team, who was reportedly upset by the film’s tone and tried to block its release.
In a statement on Tuesday, Kinematics founder Mark Rapaport cited “creative differences” as the reason the company was pulling out.
Tom Ortenberg, CEO of Briarcliff, a veteran distributor of challenging cuisines, had not announced distribution plans as of press time.
