‘The Apprentice’ Producer Lifts The Lid On “Excruciating” Few Months Navigating Trump Threats & Financier Exit
It’s been a hell of a ride so far for the producers of controversial Donald Trump movie The Apprentice.
The movie about Trump’s rise to power debuted to acclaim at Cannes but became bogged down by legal threats from the former President who took exception to the material. Then producers had to deal with main financier Kinematics — backed by Trump supporter Dan Snyder — wanting to exit the movie. All this got in the way of the team securing domestic distribution (which is now set with Briarcliff for an October 11 release). You can check out the backstory here.
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Just now we had a chat with Dan Bekerman, one of the lead producers on the project, about the turbulent recent months and what’s to come for the film. Bekerman and other producers had been unable to speak publicly until the impasse with the film’s financier Kinematics was resolved. This formally got done today so we were able to check in. Below is our chat.
RELATED: Ali Abbasi’s ‘The Apprentice’ Launches Kickstarter Campaign In Hopes Of Expanded Distribution
DEADLINE: How have the last five or six months been?
DAN BEKERMAN: I would say it’s been a combination of exciting and excruciating. I think those two words are appropriate.
DEADLINE: Can you elaborate on the “excruciating” part?
BEKERMAN: Well, first of all, making movies is kind of excruciating in itself. And this, you know, this was an incredibly ambitious, tricky production. The whole process has had an aspect of struggle to it. To have this much uncertainty, though, over over the last few months, has been really hard, for sure, but the fact is, we’re getting where we need to be, and feeling feeling really good about it.
DEADLINE: Kinematics today formally exited the project due to “creative differences”. When did it become clear that there was a significant issue with the producer-financier and their backer Dan Snyder?
BEKERMAN: What I can say is that the movie would never have happened without Kinematics and we’re certainly grateful to them for helping us get it made. And now I’m just excited for the next phase in the life of the movie.
DEADLINE: The major turbulence really started around the time of Cannes, is that fair?
BEKERMAN: I pretty much want to focus on where we’re heading…but certainly during Cannes, having Donald Trump’s campaign threaten us directly after our screening, not only threaten us, but threaten any distributor who dared to try to release the movie, that created a very unique circumstance for everyone involved, and we certainly have had our struggles with that. But we’ve really believed in the integrity of the movie on every level: as a work of art, as a responsible movie…
DEADLINE: Is it fair to say that the scene in which Donald Trump rapes his first wife Ivana has been most contentious and has irked the former President the most?
BEKERMAN: As much as we’ve been living with this subject matter, I don’t claim to be inside of Trump’s mind. When they put out their public messaging and public threats after our premiere, I think they were implying that that scene was was upsetting to them.
That’s certainly been a talked about scene, but we feel very solid on every level about that scene and about the whole movie.
DEADLINE: I understand as producers you’ve been in touch with some very high-profile lawyers to see how safe the ground is that you’re on…
BEKERMAN: I’ll say we’ve done our homework at every stage. The homework was done at the script level, the research level and at the filming.
DEADLINE: Are you aware of anyone in the Trump campaign seeing the movie?
BEKERMAN: No…But I think this film is going to surprise people in many ways, and surprise people with different political perspectives. We have a super entertaining movie. Obviously, it’s about culturally hot button issues, and to me the real strength of it is that it has something to say about the American soul.
DEADLINE: Were there things your director Ali Abbasi wanted to include in the movie that he didn’t end up including for fear of reprisal?
BEKERMAN: Ali should probably speak for himself on that, but I will say this is the movie we wanted to make. I don’t feel the movie is compromised.
DEADLINE: Will there be any cuts ahead of release?
BEKERMAN: No censorship related cuts…
DEADLINE: Why did you launch the crowdfunding campaign announced today?
BEKERMAN: When Trump made those threats in Cannes he deterred the biggest distributors from getting involved. We were having talks with all the big distributors about the movie. It was clear to us that Trump’s comments had an impact, and that we were going to have to go through an unconventional process to make sure this movie could get to as many people as possible.
DEADLINE: Are you disappointed those distributors backed away from the movie?
BEKERMAN: I don’t think disappointed is the is the word. I think I have to be somewhat of a realist as a producer. We’d be silly not to acknowledge that controversy can deter large corporations.
DEADLINE: How wide will the release be?
BEKERMAN: I think it could be quite wide. I don’t know a screen count right now but between our Kickstarter campaign and all of our partnerships we think we can get it out across America on October 11, and then across the world.
DEADLINE: Do you expect your distributor Briarcliff to make good money from this movie?
BEKERMAN: I think that there’s a lot of opportunity for everybody involved. Briarcliff is a very exciting partner for us.
DEADLINE: Do you have any celebrity or political endorsements lined up for the film?
BEKERMAN: There’s various levels of interest in the film. Politically, the film is non-partisan. We’re doing what art is supposed to do, which is create conversations that allow culture to evolve. And I think we’re going to do that in in ways that are not going to fit neatly into the political talking points on any particular side, and that’s totally fine.
DEADLINE: You haven’t got long until you release…Is it enough time to mount an effective campaign?
BEKERMAN: There’s never enough time. But I think there’s tremendous energy surrounding this project, and I think when people actually start to see it, instead of just speculate about it, it’s going to create a whole new wave of energy, because I think it will subvert expectations in many ways. And I think I think a lot of people are going to be surprised just how much they actually enjoy the movie.
DEADLINE: Have you thought about the potential need for security at some venues?
BEKERMAN: That would need to be answered by Briarcliff.
DEADLINE: Will there be awards campaigns for the actors?
BEKERMAN: I don’t want to comment on that but you can certainly guess what the answer might be. The actors are all tremendous. Briarcliff is best placed to speak to that, though.
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