An Angus documentary maker behind a film investigating Donald Trump’s golf course near Aberdeen is planning a premiere in the billionaire’s home city New York.
Anthony Baxter of Montrose Pictures has launched a crowd-funding drive to take You’ve Been Trumped to the businessman’s back yard for a preview screening at the IFC Center in Manhattan on July 7.
Almost three quarters of the target has been reached and the drive is gathering momentum on Facebook and Twitter.
If enough can be raised for the trip the film will be shown alongside others as part of a Stranger Than Fiction series at the Big Apple venue.
Mr Baxter said, “Mr Trump commented he hadn’t watched You’ve Been Trumped but that he’d heard the film was ‘boring’. He said he’d view it on his new 757 back to New York from Aberdeen.
“We don’t think he should get special treatment the DVD isn’t released yet so Mr Trump is invited to our planned Manhattan screening. But we need help to make it happen.”
The You’ve Been Trumped team has a history of crowd-funding and pulled in over $20,000 from nearly 300 donations around the world to finish the film in time for its world premiere at the HotDocs festival in Toronto.
Mr Baxter said, “Crowd-funding was embraced after You’ve Been Trumped was rejected for all funding by Creative Scotland and by Edinburgh International Film Festival.
“We were told not to ask for a reason why the film was rejected from EIFF. The reason given when we asked for £10,000 of development funding through Creative Scotland was ‘lack of audience interest’.”
Mr Baxter claimed demand for screenings at the Belmont Picturehouse in Aberdeen had “astounded” the cinema’s management. Over 600 had been to see the 95-minute feature since June 17.
The film documents the confrontations between the developers and campaigners, residents and naturalists opposed to the project, which is being built on land that forms part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest at the Menie Estate.
Residents were given cameras as part of the process to record what was happening and their feelings about it.
The film-makers followed developments for more than a year, and the documentary questions the decision by the Scottish Government to give the project the green light.
Trump International Scotland claimed Mr Baxter had “no credibility” and lacked “professionalism and integrity” after refusing to send over a copy of the film prior to its screening.
The trailer has clocked up over 70,000 views on YouTube.
It will also be shown at Edinburgh’s Cameo Cinema on July 14 and has already scooped the Green Award at the 2011 Sheffield International Doc/Fest.