As Presidents’ Day rolled around, First Lady Melania Trump seized the opportunity to promote her documentary film centered on her life. The observance, which officially honors President George Washington’s birthday, found Melania encouraging audiences to catch “MELANIA” in theaters during its limited run. Through her personal social media channels, she urged, “Don’t miss your chance to see MELANIA in theaters before its run ends. Experience the immersive visuals and sound on the big screen today.” Alongside this promotion, she extended Presidents’ Day greetings to Americans, sharing a photograph from the film’s premiere at the White House in late January, featuring herself with President Donald Trump.

In the shared photo, the first couple stands proudly in front of the promotional signage for the documentary in the White House’s Cross Hall. They later attended another premiere event at the recently renamed Trump Kennedy Center. This venue has been at the center of controversy due to its new name and the President’s unexpected decision to close it for two years for extensive renovations after a series of cancellations. The First Lady has faced criticism for incorporating the promotion of the film into her official White House duties.

In a recent meeting earlier this month with American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel and his wife Aviva, Melania briefly mentioned the film, noting a scene that depicted her meeting with Aviva to advocate for Siegel’s release. When questioned by a CNN reporter about the appropriateness of promoting a commercial project that could earn her $28 million, the First Lady responded, “It is nothing to do with promotion.” The documentary spans 20 days leading up to the President’s second inauguration, offering a unique glimpse into the life of the First Lady during this significant period.

Amazon paid approximately $40 million for the rights to the film, which has garnered Amazon founder Jeff Bezos criticism amid the recent major layoffs at the Bezos-owned newspaper, the Washington Post. The documentary had a strong start at the box office, making around $7 million during the opening weekend, the best for a non-concert documentary since 2012. Since then, ticket sales have dropped. This past weekend, it slid to 15th place among new releases, making under $1 million. 

So far, the documentary has made around $15.4 million in total, with the Daily Beast reporting that Amazon MGM executives believe that when it hits Amazon’s streaming service, some of the money will be recouped. A streaming date has yet to be announced. Director Brett Ratner, who largely hasn’t worked in Hollywood since a 2017 #MeToo scandal, told the Daily Mail last month in an exclusive interview that the film was meant to be seen on the big screen.

‘It’s big movie stuff. That’s what I’m trying to say. It’s for the big screen. I urge everybody to go see it in the theater, that’s what it was made for,’ he said. ‘Yes, you can go watch it on TV later, if you don’t want to go to the theater, but the truth is, for me as a filmmaker, that would be the ultimate way to watch this film,’ Ratner added. Melania Trump was spotted spending Valentine’s Day weekend with the President at Mar-a-Lago, according to social media posts from the Palm Beach, Florida, club. She arrived with the President on Friday after a visit to North Carolina’s Fort Bragg. He’s expected to return to Washington Monday night after the Presidents’ Day holiday.