A trailer for Melania Trump’s documentary shows her self-dramatization

The 68-second trailer shows, among other things, shots of Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach and Trump Tower in New York, as well as Melania Trump at a luncheon and in a cemetery, where she places a white lily on a gravestone. She can be seen boarding Air Force One, talking to state guests and planning the inauguration celebrations – usually in dark sunglasses and extremely high heels. Her 19-year-old son Barron, who is now studying in Washington, also appears in brief sequences.

In one scene, she asks a Secret Service agent about an unspecified event: “Is it safe?” (German: “Is it safe?”) – to which he replies in the affirmative.

But probably the most revealing scene comes at the end: “Hi Mr. President. Congratulations” says Melania Trump as she stands with her back to the camera in front of the Manhattan skyline in a gilded room, a single white rose on the desk. On the other end of the line, her husband asks: “Did you watch it?” Her answer: “I didn’t. Yeah. I will see it on the news.” Her office did not respond to questions about what event it was, according to the New York Times.

The documentary, simply titled “Melania,” is scheduled to hit theaters on January 30th. Melania Trump signed a multi-million dollar contract with Amazon MGM – the company reportedly cost the project $40 million. She serves as an executive producer herself, which apparently gave her full editorial control.

Filming began in December 2024 and documents the 20 days surrounding her return to the White House, as CNN reports. Amazon MGM promises “exclusive footage of critical meetings and private conversations” as well as “unprecedented insight” into this period. “Everyone wants to know. So here it is,” Melania Trump can be heard saying about the content of the documentary.

Melania Trump presents herself as a controlled figure

The trailer features the iconic roar of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer lion. Set to dramatic instrumental music, Melania Trump presents herself as a controlled and self-confident figure who has a say in her husband’s speeches and gown designs. A stark contrast to her first term in office, when she was best remembered for controversy – such as her visit to detained migrant children at the border, during which she wore a jacket with the words “I REALLY DON’T CARE, DO U?” (German: “I really don’t care, do you?”) wore.

The “Melania” documentary is directed by Brett Ratner (“Rush Hour,” “X-Men: The Last Stand”). It’s the filmmaker’s first major project since 2017, when he was accused of sexual misconduct by six women, the Los Angeles Times reported. Ratner has denied the allegations. According to insider reports, Ratner will soon be filming the fourth part of “Rush Hour” for Paramount – a project that Donald Trump is said to have personally supported.

Melania Trump has suggested that the documentary has taken up much of her behind-the-scenes attention this year. During her husband’s second term in office, she has largely kept a low profile and has made significantly fewer public appearances than she did during his first term in office. She divides most of her time between New York and Palm Beach. However, in recent weeks she has increased her public appearances around the Christmas holidays.

At a recent event where she accepted Fox Nation’s “Patriot of the Year” award, Melania Trump said the idea for the documentary came to her shortly after her husband’s election victory, according to CNN. It is “a premiere that captures 20 days of my life leading up to the inauguration, 20 intense days of transformation from private citizen to first lady while juggling my business, my philanthropy, advancing the future, building my East Wing team and White House staff, and of course, providing for my family.”

In an interview with “Fox & Friends,” she explained, “My fans and people would like to hear more from me. Right now it’s about daily life. What I do. What my responsibilities are.”

According to Variety, a three-part documentary series will also be released that will examine Melania’s life between Trump Tower in New York, Mar-a-Lago and Washington DC.