An independent movie theater in Oregon says it was forced to stop showing the documentary “Melania” after its playful marquee advertising upset distributor Amazon.
The Lake Theater & Cafe in Lake Oswego announced in an Instagram post Monday that it was no longer permitted to screen the documentary about First Lady Melania Trump after Amazon objected to how the film was promoted.
According to the post, company representatives were unhappy with the theater’s humorous marquee messages, which poked fun at the film and its subject matter.
One sign read, “Does Melania wear Prada? Find out Friday,” while another referenced Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War,” stating, “To defeat your enemy, you must know them. ‘Melania’ starts Friday,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
In its Instagram statement, the theater said that “higher ups” at Amazon were displeased with the marketing approach and informed staff that Sunday would be the final day the movie could be shown. Employees jokingly expressed concern that their Amazon Prime accounts might be canceled as retaliation.
Theater manager Jordan Perry confirmed the dispute in comments to The Oregonian.
“Amazon was not happy and did not appreciate my take on marketing their film to our own public,” Perry said.
After losing the film, the theater responded with additional tongue-in-cheek messages on its marquee.
One sign read, “Amazon called. Our marquee made them mad. All Melania showings canceled. Show your support at Whole Foods instead.” Another added, “Join Amazon Prime for Free 2-Day Shipping.”
The situation drew national attention and sparked debate online about corporate influence over independent theaters.
HuffPost contacted Amazon for comment, but the company did not immediately respond.
In a blog post on the theater’s website, Perry explained that his decision to show “Melania” was driven largely by humor.
“Mostly, I thought doing so would be funny,” Perry wrote. “For some of you, that’s enough. Great!”
Despite its high-profile subject, the documentary has struggled with critics and audiences. Reports indicate the film cost about $40 million to produce and another $35 million to market.
It earned roughly $7 million during its opening weekend and currently holds a 6% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The incident has raised questions about how much control major distributors exert over independent venues and whether creative or satirical marketing is becoming riskier in the age of corporate media oversight.
For the Lake Theater, the controversy appears to have generated more attention than the film itself, turning a small-town marquee into a viral symbol of resistance against studio pressure.
