This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Dinesh D’Souza’s documentary attack on Hillary Clinton has tied with the DC Comics blockbuster Batman v Superman for the hotly uncontested title of worst film of the year. The two movies won four Razzie awards apiece, it was announced in California on Saturday.



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The Razzies, an annual antidote to the Oscars, named Hillary’s America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party the worst film of 2016.

D’Souza, a controversial conservative commentator and author, was named worst actor for his narration and worst director alongside Bruce Schooley. Worst actress went to Rebekah Turner, who portrayed Clinton in the film.

In a video statement, D’Souza said: “This is absolutely fantastic. My audience loves the fact that you hate me. Thank you.”

In 2014, D’Souza was convicted of illegal contributions to a New York Republican candidate’s failed US senate bid, fined $30,000 and sentenced to eight months at a confinement centre near his home in San Diego.

Introducing Hillary’s America at the CPAC conservative conference in Maryland last year, he said: “Four years ago I made the film 2016: Obama’s America, which kind of upset the thin-skinned narcissist in the White House … if that film got me eight months in the slammer, this new movie is going to earn me life in prison.”

The trailer for his Clinton film attracted controversy, over its use of racist imagery in portraying the 19th-century roots of the Democratic party. Producer Gerald Molen told the Hollywood Reporter such imagery was used “to show exactly where the Democratic party came from”.

“Democrats don’t want to talk about it,” he said. “They like to say racism was the fault of Republicans. That is pure bullshit … They don’t teach the history of Democrats and slavery.

“Students know nothing about history, nothing about America. They don’t know 600,000 people died in the civil war, most of them trying to protect black Americans from Democrats who supported slavery.”

Hillary’s America took $13m at the North American box office. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was critically mauled but took $330.36m domestically.



Batman v Superman’s four Razzies included worst screen combo for “Ben Affleck & His BFF (Baddest Foe Forever) Henry Cavill” and worst “remake, rip-off or sequel”. Jesse Eisenberg won worst supporting actor.

Kristen Wiig took worst supporting actress, for Zoolander 2.

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The annual Razzie Redeemer Award went to veteran actor-director Mel Gibson. Gibson has been welcomed back into the Hollywood fold with his war drama Hacksaw Ridge, a decade after a drunken antisemitic rant made him an outcast. Hacksaw Ridge is nominated for six Oscars, including Gibson for director.



The 2017 Golden Raspberry awards, to give them their official title, follow a Hollywood awards season marked by outspoken speeches and protests against the policies and behavior of President Donald Trump. The season culminates with the Oscars ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday.

Winners of the year’s worst films are given a gold, spray-painted trophy. The awards are voted for online by around 1,000 Razzie members from 24 countries, who sign up online and pay a $40 membership fee.