‘The Apprentice’ Premieres Smoothly in the US: Watch Telluride Video

Filmmaker Ali Abbasi, director of the controversial movie The Apprentice, has emphasized that his drama about Donald Trump’s rise in the 1970s-80s “is not a political hit job,” but rather a “mirror” of the country.

Abbasi initially seemed somewhat apprehensive as he took the stage at the Galaxy Theater in Telluride for the U.S. premiere of his feature, which had already made waves at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

The team had somewhat anticipated legal barriers to hinder the screening and expected protests from Trump’s supporters. Since its debut at Cannes, the film has faced various obstacles.

However, opposition from Trump’s camp did not materialize, and no supporters showed up to disrupt the special screening held at the Telluride Film Festival, which was announced just days before the event.

Before bringing on stage the film’s writer Gabriel Sherman and stars Sebastian Stan, who delivers a powerful portrayal of Trump, and Jeremy Strong, who plays lawyer Roy Cohn with reptilian menace, Abbasi admitted to the audience that he was feeling nervous.

He mentioned that the movie had been several years in the making and now was finally coming back to the American audience. Abbasi, as a non-American, allowed himself to deeply explore the country and its system, along with certain characters, though he refrained from naming Trump directly.

In a lighter moment, Abbasi joked about having reserved three seats for a special guest and his bodyguards, hinting at Trump, and suggested they might still show up.

On a serious note, he clarified that the film was not intended to be a political attack but rather a reflective piece serving as a mirror to show the community an image of itself.

Having watched the intense film twice during its Cannes screenings, the audience seemed deeply engaged, aligning with Stan’s description of the movie as “an origin film” that aims to shed more light on how things have evolved.

Stan expressed excitement about Abbasi’s “vision” and appreciated the European filmmaker’s unique perspective on issues currently unfolding in America.

Interest in The Apprentice has surged, especially with the upcoming Presidential election generating significant attention.

The film, as reported, is set for an October release through Tom Ortenberg’s Briarcliff Entertainment.

Among the guests at the screening was Kieran Culkin, who also attended the festival with Jesse Eisenberg’s film A Real Pain. Naturally, he was there to support his Succession co-star, Jeremy Strong.

Source: Deadline