As a seasoned veteran in the film industry, with over four decades of experience under my belt, it’s clear that the road less traveled is where I find myself most at home. The journey of distributing politically sensitive films like “The Apprentice” has been an eerie yet familiar dance, one that echoes my past ventures into controversial territory.
When the buddy movie starring Donald Trump and Roy Cohn, titled The Apprentice, finally hits U.S. cinemas this Friday following a challenging production process, it will be due in part to an individual who has been guiding contentious films since Trump was still climbing the ranks as a New York business magnate.
64-year-old Tom Ortenberg, the founder of independent studio Briarcliff Entertainment, managed to secure the domestic distribution rights for the movie “The Apprentice” on August 30th, right before the election. Although it had a successful debut at Cannes, only Ortenberg showed genuine interest in acquiring “The Apprentice“. He had to wait several months while the film’s producers bought out one of its financiers, wealthy investor and friend of Trump, Dan Snyder, who disagreed with the portrayal of the former president. In the film “The Apprentice“, directed by Ali Abbasi and written by journalist Gabriel Sherman, Sebastian Stan takes on the role of Trump during his business career in the 1970s and 80s, while Jeremy Strong plays Trump’s lawyer and mentor, Cohn. In the spring, it was announced that Trump intended to sue to prevent the film’s release, as it shows him receiving liposuction, taking pills, and sexually assaulting his first wife, Ivana.
On October 2nd, Ortenberg acquired the home distribution rights for a movie previously discarded by other studios, titled Magazine Dreams, which is the bodybuilding drama starring Jonathan Majors that Searchlight Pictures relinquished following his assault conviction by a New York jury in December last year. Regarding his recent acquisitions, Ortenberg stated, “I don’t spend my mornings pondering potential controversies I might encounter today, but I won’t shy away from them either.
The executive has a long history of distributing films that other studios deemed too controversial. When Disney refused to release Kevin Smith’s film “Dogma” in 1999 due to its portrayal of Catholicism, the executive, who was then head of theatrical at Lionsgate, took on the distribution. At one point, he even debated a head of the Catholic League with a theater owner over the movie’s merits during a phone call. He also distributed “Fahrenheit 9/11” in 2004, which became the highest-grossing documentary ever made. In 2015, while running Open Road Films, he released “Spotlight,” a best picture winner about the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal, and in 2020, he distributed “The Dissident,” a documentary about the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at Briarcliff.
Leading up to the cinematic premiere of “The Apprentice” on October 11th, I, as an ardent supporter, shared my thoughts with The Hollywood Reporter. I expressed my dismay towards the timidity of my fellow entertainment industry peers, labeling it as ‘cowardice’. I view films that stir debate as ‘distressed assets’, and my mission is to unearth an audience for “The Apprentice”. Contrary to belief, people aren’t drawn to a movie solely because it’s contentious. However, when a film offers information, stimulates thought, and maintains entertainment value across a wide spectrum, it becomes a cinematic experience that audiences might be eager to engage with.
On August 30th, it was announced that you secured the domestic rights for The Apprentice, which had already been released and received positive reviews at Cannes earlier. Can you tell us what transpired during that period?
As a gamer, I was bummed out that I couldn’t join the Cannes Film Festival this year due to my involvement in another film, “Nickels“, featuring Rob Riggle. The news about the cease and desist letter from the Trump campaign caught my attention. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy when I read about the enthusiastic response the movie received at Cannes – both from critics and audiences alike. I figured that, given its success, it would be way beyond my budget to acquire a copy. However, in the days following its world premiere, I began reading stories about how major studios, as well as some independent heavyweights, were backing off from the film. It seemed they weren’t doing so for financial or artistic reasons but out of sheer cowardice.
A few days after watching the movie online, I found it captivating and promptly made an offer. The offer was accepted, but I learned that the filmmakers had to resolve disputes with their financial backers before they could officially sell the movie for domestic distribution in the U.S. Regrettably, these negotiations dragged on throughout the summer.
What was your understanding of why other distributors didn’t want it?
Many individuals within the industry appear to lack courage due to their fear of potential consequences if Donald Trump wins the election. This realization saddens me immensely, as I had hoped our profession would be above such apprehensions. However, I’m repeatedly shown that this is not always the case.
What did you spend, and what will your theatrical rollout look like?
Despite not being able to disclose specifics about the agreement, it’s worth noting that no other significant contenders emerged for the film rights. Given this lack of competition, deals like this often don’t require a high price tag. Regrettably, in this case, it seems the deal was more expensive than usual.
We plan to release our movie in a broad spectrum, approximately ranging from 1500 to 2000 cinemas. However, we view this as a long-distance race rather than a short dash. The focus isn’t on the opening weekend or the number of screens, but rather on the enduring impact of the film. I believe its legacy will be robust, not just during award season, but beyond it as well.
Have you heard from Trump since the deal closed?
As a fervent supporter, I’m well-informed about the cease and desist letter the Trump campaign sent filmmakers just before the Cannes Film Festival. Predictably, this seemed more like an idle threat than a genuine concern. Since we made our acquisition public, there’s been no communication from the Trump camp. The future remains uncertain, but one thing’s for sure – it won’t hinder our meticulous plans for the movie in any way.
What have your conversations with theater owners been like?
As a gamer, I’ve found an intriguing twist in the industry: theater owners have been surprisingly supportive, despite Hollywood’s corridors of power often being associated with liberal leanings. The exhibition sector, typically seen as more conservative within entertainment, seems to buck this trend. When it comes to censorship, Hollywood executives tend to shun potential controversies, while exhibitors just want to screen movies – letting the audience decide what they want to watch. They’re excited to show ‘The Apprentice’, ‘Reagan’ [Dennis Quaid movie], and even controversial documentaries like ‘Am I A Racist?’ or those by Michael Moore and Dinesh D’Souza. Essentially, exhibitors are happy to present a variety of films, letting the audience choose their favorites.
In what way did promoting our brand during the vice presidential debate align with our overall marketing plan?
During the presidential and vice presidential debates, we attempted to place advertisements, but our proposals were turned down on both occasions. We believed these events would provide an excellent opportunity for our marketing efforts, given the captive audience they attracted. Regrettably, our requests were denied. In light of this, we felt compelled to share this information with the public and express our disagreement with their decision. I firmly believe that the networks erred in rejecting our ads.
Instead of paying for advertising, receiving free publicity after rejection can be seen as not entirely losing out on the investment.
I don’t disagree.
Let’s shift gears to Magazine Dreams — why did you make that deal?
As a film enthusiast, whenever we engage with filmmakers regarding the acquisition of domestic distribution rights for films that have faced rejection by others, we view them as potential hidden gems – or, in more formal terms, distressed assets. The movie Magazine Dreams, rumored to be purchased by Searchlight Pictures for $10 million at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, is a prime example of this phenomenon. It’s evident that Searchlight found value in it, as they were willing to pay such a significant sum. This is due to the film’s exceptional quality and the outstanding performance by Jonathan Majors, which is worthy of awards recognition.
Will Jonathan Majors promote it?
Absolutely. Jonathan continues to express his strong enthusiasm towards the film, and our team shares this sentiment. As of now, we haven’t fully outlined our PR strategy regarding what roles or activities we might ask from him, or what he may prefer not to do. However, it is indisputable that Jonathan possesses exceptional talent, and he will certainly play a significant part in the promotional efforts for the movie without any question.
In what ways does the process of releasing The Apprentice differ from your past professional ventures involving controversial films, politically speaking?
The experience with “The Apprentice” has made me realize that I must aim higher for Briarcliff. I’ve always been unafraid to take on contentious films, and this is crucial. Releasing “The Apprentice” taught me that. So far, I’ve been personally funding Briarcliff. I manage the day-to-day expenses of the company, handling them myself for smaller films. For larger projects like “The Apprentice,” I seek out partners on a project-by-project basis.
More recently, I’ve realized that expanding our company is essential. With that in mind, I plan to focus on securing another round of funding soon, which will give Briarcliff the opportunity to blossom into a new Open Road, potentially rival Lionsgate. It remains unclear whether it’s auspicious or ominous that, after nearly four decades in this field, I still feel indispensable.
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2024-10-10 17:55