The release of the documentary “Melania” about the US First Lady has sparked a wave of reactions – from a theatrical protest in Washington to a viral campaign on social media that returned the film “Becoming” about Michelle Obama to the top of Netflix.
This is reported by Hyperallergic and The Guardian.
The premiere of “Melania” took place on January 29 at the Kennedy Center in Washington and was accompanied by a protest.
About 40 activists from the Free DC and Hands Off the Arts movements marched to the center wearing wigs, corsets and fake jewelry, mocking the film, which they say glamorizes the political elite. The protesters held signs reading “Let Whole Foods Eat” and “Authoritarianism – Get It Faster with Prime,” allusions to Marie Antoinette and Amazon, the company that financed the film.
Activists called the action a grotesque but accurate contrast between the luxury of political circles and the reality of ordinary Americans.
Protest on the day of the premiere of the film “Melania”, January 29, 2026. Instagram/story.logic/Jonathan Kincade
The release of Melania coincided with a surge in interest in Michelle Obama's 2020 documentary Becoming, released by Netflix. According to the Hollywood Reporter, viewings increased by more than 13,000%, from 354,000 to 47.5 million minutes over the weekend. The film re-entered the Netflix top ten in the US, taking 6th place, which is unusual for a film that is six years old.
Such interest in the film is attributed to a viral campaign on social media under the hashtag #BecomingOverMelania, which urged users to support the documentary about Obama as a “cultural act of resistance.”
TikTok and X users called it “counter-programming” — an attempt to shift attention from Amazon's “gold-plated movie” to the story of Michelle Obama.
Despite the criticism, Melania grossed nearly $7 million in its opening weekend, becoming the highest-grossing documentary debut of the decade. However, international box office performance was weak, with a 29th place finish in the UK and 31st place in Australia, and a 5% Rotten Tomatoes rating (compared to 93% for The Making).
About the movie “Melania”
The documentary tells the story behind the scenes of the life of the first lady, who maintains a low public activity during Donald Trump's second presidential term.
The trailer begins with Inauguration Day in January 2025 and features Melania Trump's involvement in preparing the president's inaugural address. In one scene, she advises to emphasize the words “peacemaker and unifier.”
The film also focuses on her style, diplomatic encounters and the work of the Secret Service. According to the producer, there are also moments in the film that showcase the US president's sense of humor.