“The Apprentice,” a film that delves into the early career of Donald Trump, is set to be released just weeks before the U.S. presidential election, creating a storm of controversy and intrigue.

This film, which sparked significant buzz at its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, has now secured theatrical distribution from Briarcliff Entertainment. According to The Hollywood Reporter, it will debut in U.S. theaters on October 11. Briarcliff Entertainment, founded by Tom Ortenberg—who also produced the Oscar-winning biographical crime drama “Spotlight”—is reportedly gearing up for an awards campaign for “The Apprentice.” In this cinematic portrayal, Sebastian Stan steps into the shoes of a young Donald Trump.

In addition to Stan’s portrayal of Trump, the film features Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump. The cast also includes Jeremy Strong, known for his role in “Succession,” who plays Roy Cohn, the influential lawyer and politician who mentored Trump during his ascent as a New York real estate developer.

The screenplay was crafted by Vanity Fair journalist Gabriel Sherman and directed by Iranian-Danish filmmaker Ali Abbasi. Abbasi took to social media following the film’s Cannes premiere to voice his frustration over what he perceived as a lack of support from major U.S. studios and distributors. He tweeted: “For some reason, some influential people in your country don’t want you to see it!!!”

Despite these challenges, “The Apprentice” had already secured distribution rights in Canada, Europe, and parts of Asia before Briarcliff Entertainment stepped in to handle its U.S. release. The film is said to contain explicit scenes depicting “rape, erectile dysfunction, baldness, and betrayal,” which have added to its contentious reception.

Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, condemned the timing of the film’s release, describing it as “election interference by Hollywood elites just before November.” He further lambasted the film in a statement to The Associated Press on August 30, calling it “pure malicious slander” that should be relegated to “a burning dumpster” rather than be shown in theaters.

In May, Trump’s legal team sent a cease-and-desist letter to the filmmakers, alleging that the movie represented “direct foreign interference in the American election.” Attorney David Warrington warned that if distribution and marketing of what he termed a “defamatory farce” did not cease immediately, legal action would be taken.

Interestingly, one of the film’s backers is billionaire Dan Snyder, a known Trump supporter who initially believed that the biopic would cast the former president in a favorable light. However, sources told Variety that Snyder was enraged by the film’s portrayal of Trump after viewing a preliminary cut in February.

“The Apprentice” promises to be a polarizing film, not just for its controversial content but also for its timing and implications in the heated political climate leading up to the presidential election.