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Ali Abbasi

The Apprentice

Director Ali Abbasi Composer David Holmes, Brian Irvine, Martin Dirkov Cast Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong, Maria Bakalova
120' - 2024 - Historical, Drama, Biography - Format: DCP - Dialogue: English

Before setting up his business in the White House, Donald Trump closed a Faustian business deal with his spiritual godfather Roy Cohn in the 1970s. At least, that’s the premise of the anti-state portrait The Apprentice. Sharklike co-stars Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong smell blood and even an Oscar in their monstrous master-apprentice relationship.

Sebastian Stan takes on the pre-orange skin of a young Donald Trump for The Apprentice, named after the game show Trump hosted before his political career. The film, which Trump's supporters tried to halt, follows him during his rise as a real estate businessman in 1970s and 1980s New York. To what extent was he shaped by the widely controversial and ruthless lawyer and fixer Roy Cohn (played by Succession actor Jeremy Strong)? Iranian-Danish director Ali Abbasi is no novice at vicious character studies, as evidenced by Shelley (2016), Gräns (FFG2018) and Holy Spider (FFG2022). This parody biopic, penned by best-selling author Gabriel Sherman, caused a lot of controversy at Cannes. You will find even more American controversy in this year's Classics programme American Dream / American Nightmare.

Image gallery

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Credits

Directors

Ali Abbasi

Composers

David Holmes, Brian Irvine, Martin Dirkov

Cast

Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong, Maria Bakalova

Scenario

Gabriel Sherman

Director of Photography

Kasper Tuxen

Editors

Olivia Neergaard-Holm, Olivier Bugge Coutté

Producers

Daniel Bekerman, Jacob Jarek, Ruth Treacy, Julianne Forde, Louis Tisné, Ali Abbasi

Production studios

Scythia Films, Profile Pictures, Tailored Films

Distributor

The Searchers

More info

Dialogue

English

Countries of production

Canada, Ireland, Denmark

Year

2024

Filmography

Ali Abbasi
Officer Relaxing After Duty (short, 2008), M for Markus (short, 2011), Shelley (2016), Border (2018), Holy Spider (2022), The Apprentice (2024)

Technical Specs

Format
DCP