(CNN) — “The Apprentice,” a new film about former President Donald Trump's real estate business in New York in the 1980s, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to rave reviews and criticism from his campaign.
The film about the potential 2024 Republican presidential nominee comes five months before the presidential election.
Sebastian Stan stars as the young Trump in the film, “an exploration of power and ambition in a world of corruption and deceit,” according to the official synopsis.
“Heir” star Jeremy Strong plays Roy Cohn, the attorney Trump considered his mentor early in his career.
“This is a mentor-guardian story that traces the rise of an American dynasty. Filled with larger-than-life characters, it reveals the moral and human cost of a culture defined by winners and losers,” the synopsis reads.
“The Apprentice,” despite the title, makes no reference to the reality series starring Trump, including a caveat that parts of the story are somewhat fictional. It was written by biographer and political journalist Gabriel Sherman and directed by Iranian-Danish filmmaker Ali Abbasi.
“In turbulent times, there's a tendency to look inward, to bury your head in the sand and look inward hoping for the best, hoping the storm will pass,” Abbasi told the audience at the film's premiere on Monday. Pictures Published on the Internet.
“But the storm is not over. In fact, the storm is coming. The worst is yet to come,” Abbasi added.
The director said he chose to make a film “about the world” with a story about Trump because “there's no pretty metaphorical way to counter the rising tide of fascism.”
“There is only irregular way, there is only normal way. There is only way to counter this tide on its own ground, on its own level,” he said. “It may not be pretty, but the problem with the world is that good people have been silent for too long.”
From left, Gabrielle Sherman, Maria Bagalova, director Ali Abbasi, Sebastian Stan and Martin Donovan pose for photographers at the premiere on Monday. (Credit: AP)
The film depicts Trump's relationship with his first wife, Ivana, and their divorce. According to The Hollywood Reporter. A scene of the former president undergoing liposuction drew audible gasps from the audience, the publication reported.
“We are filing a lawsuit to address the blatantly false claims of the so-called filmmakers. This garbage is sensationalizing long-debunked lies,” Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung told CNN in a statement. “This 'film' is a completely malicious slander, should not see the light of day, and does not deserve a place in the direct-to-DVD section of the bargain bin at a soon-to-be-closed discount movie store. In the trash”.
Maria Bagalova plays the late Ivana Trump, who died in 2022. Rounding out the cast are Martin Donovan, Catherine McNally and Charlie Carrick.
The release date of the film is yet to be announced. According to IMDB, “The Apprentice” does not yet have a distributor in the United States.
