Malia Obama Goes to Sundance Film Festival (Exclusive)

Sundance 2017: Former first daughter attends screening of drama “Beach Rats”

Malia Obama at White House State Dinner
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Of all the boldfaced names at the Sundance Film Festival, none got people talking like Malia Obama.

The 18-year-old — who until Friday was the first daughter of the United States — turned up at Park City’s Yarrow Theater, where she was spotted Tuesday after attending a screening of the film “Beach Rats,” a drama about an aimless teen who hooks up with older men while entering into a tentative relationship with a young woman.

She was overheard telling a Sundance staffer, “It was interesting,” though it was unclear r if she was talking about the film.

Malia, who is taking a gap year before attending Harvard University, has reportedly lined up an internship with Harvey Weinstein, though he wasn’t in sight at the Yarrow on Tuesday.

The potential movie mogul-in-the-making was decked out in a brown goose jacket and green snow hat. Once festival goers realized who was in their midst, she was the subject of immediate, excited chatter.

After eight years in the White House, Malia and her sister, Sasha, are now free to live their lives with less scrutiny than their family encountered when Barack Obama was president. But if her brief appearance Tuesday was any indication, Malia Obama won’t be able to escape fame.

The screening of Eliza Hittman’s “Beach Rats” — a film sure to get a boost from Malia’s attendance — was to be followed by a screening of the documentary “Strong Island.”  The documentary, by Yance Ford, is an investigation of racism and injustice. It was unclear if she planned to stay to watch it.

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