Danish/Iranian filmmaker Ali Abbasi isn't scared of Donald Trump—which is probably part of why he was chosen to direct a biopic about the man.
The film, titled The Apprentice and starring Sebastian Stan as a younger version of the former President, clearly has Trump quaking in his boots—he's threatened to sue over it and has issued a cease and desist to the filmmakers.
But despite Trump's escalating threats, Abbasi has not only stood firm but clapped back in the most subtle way possible.
THE APPRENTICE – Press conference – English – Cannes 2024youtu.be
Speaking to press at the Cannes Film Festival, Abbasi was asked about Trump's legal threats in response to the film—and he seemed thoroughly unimpressed.
“I mean, everybody talks about him suing a lot of people. They don’t talk about his success rate though, you know?”
Abbasi's response drew applause from some among the press gathering.
Through a campaign spokesperson's statement, Steven Cheung, Trump vowed to take legal action over the film, which he has called "blatantly false" propaganda made by "pretend filmmakers."
The statement reads in part:
“This garbage is pure fiction which sensationalizes lies that have been long debunked..."
"This is election interference by Hollywood elites, who know that President Trump will retake the White House and beat their candidate of choice because nothing they have done has worked.”
Trump's legal team has since sent a cease and desist letter to the filmmakers in an attempt to block its US release, a gambit that appears successful in one respect—the film has come away from Cannes without a US distribution deal, though it was acquired for several international markets.
The film's producer Daniel Bekerman said that Trump's response indicated that he "clearly" had not seen the film. Abbasi agreed, saying that he understands Trump's response.
He told the press:
"I would [think], 'oh, this crazy Iranian guy and some liberal c*nts in Cannes, they gathered and they did this movie. And it’s fu*ked up and it’s demeaning and it’s a conspiracy.”
But he went on to say that he doesn't think Trump would necessarily like or dislike the film if he actually watched it, which he then invited the former President to do along with him.
"I think he would be surprised... I would offer him to go and meet him wherever he wants and talk about the context of the movie and have a screening and a chat afterwards."
The subtext, of course, is that Trump is a giant baby who would never in a million years have the guts to actually do so.
And on social media, many found Abbasi's response to Trump absolutely masterful.
Regardless of Trump's response, the film has been received glowingly at Cannes, where it received an eight-minute standing ovation after its premiere.
In addition to Stan as Trump, The Apprentice stars Borat Subsequent MovieFilm breakout Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump and Succession's Jeremy Strong as Trump's mentor Roy Cohn.
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