A documentary about advice columnist E. Jean Carroll's legal battle with Donald Trump is becoming available on the streaming platform Kinema starting September 2, after major distributors and streamers declined to acquire it. Director Ivy Meeropol attributed the industry resistance to what she called "The Trump Effect." The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival over a year ago.
Five companies have jointly distributed the film: Impact Partners, which helped produce and finance it; Theorem Media, a marketing studio handling it as a non-profit release; Roco Films, managing educational access; Abramorama, which led theatrical distribution; and Kinema, a platform for community screenings. The coalition orchestrated more than 100 theatrical showings across the country, with a five-week run at New York's IFC Center and additional screenings in over 90 cities and 30 states.
The film is available to rent for $8.99 on Kinema, continuing what the distributors describe as a non-traditional model suited to audience demands that major platforms were unwilling to meet. Jenny McQuaile of Theorem Media told IndieWire that "no major streamer was going to step up anytime soon with a streaming deal," prompting the coalition to pool resources instead.
The independent release strategy gives the coalition greater control over the rollout, including the length of the premium VOD window, future placement on other platforms, and continued theatrical availability. Renters can also use Kinema's services to host screenings or fundraisers. Theorem Media reported 3.1 million organic Instagram views for promotional content, while a Kinema virtual watch party drew over 750 simultaneous households.
McQuaile said Kinema's revenue share provides more direct income to filmmakers than deals with major platforms like Apple or Amazon would offer. The coalition is coordinating marketing through both Kinema and Theorem Media to reach audiences seeking to host post-screening community conversations.
