The release of thousands of records tied to Jeffrey Epstein's sex-trafficking case has pulled an unexpected figure into renewed public scrutiny just weeks before a high-profile political documentary is set to debut. Brett Ratner, the filmmaker directing an upcoming documentary about Melania Trump, appears in a photograph included in the latest disclosure of Justice Department files related to Epstein's network.
The image, released by the U.S. Department of Justice on Dec. 19, shows Ratner standing with Jean-Luc Brunel, a French modeling agent who died by suicide in a Paris prison in 2022 while awaiting trial on child-sex-crime charges. The photograph, one of roughly 3,900 files made public, is undated and offers no indication of where or when it was taken.
The disclosure comes days after Fox News aired a trailer for Ratner's documentary, which is scheduled for theatrical release on Jan. 30 and follows Melania Trump in the 20 days leading up to Donald Trump's second inauguration. The project is being promoted as an "unprecedented behind-the-scenes look" at her return to the White House.
Ratner's involvement has already drawn criticism. Discussing the documentary on The View, Alyssa Farah Griffin said, "I wouldn't, if I was a staffer, put the first lady in the position of working with somebody who had that history." The comments resurfaced after the Justice Department's release, intensifying scrutiny around the production.
Brunel was a long-time associate of Jeffrey Epstein and operated MC2 Model Management, a firm Epstein financially supported. In court filings and testimony, Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre described Brunel as a key figure in the trafficking network. In testimony to a Paris court in January 2021, she recalled Epstein telling her that he had "slept with over a thousand women that Brunel brought in."
Flight logs showed Brunel traveled aboard Epstein's private jet at least 25 times between 1998 and 2005, and prison records indicated he visited Epstein more than 70 times during Epstein's 2008 incarceration. French authorities arrested Brunel in December 2020, charging him with raping a minor and supplying minors for sexual exploitation. He was found dead in his cell at La Santé Prison in February 2022 before standing trial.
The photograph featuring Ratner is one among many depicting prominent figures released by federal authorities, including images showing Bill Clinton, Kevin Spacey, Chris Tucker, Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson and Diana Ross. The Justice Department has emphasized that appearing in the materials does not constitute evidence of criminal wrongdoing.
Ratner's re-emergence in Hollywood has been closely watched. His career stalled after multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct during the #MeToo movement in 2017, allegations he denied. Warner Bros. subsequently ended its relationship with Ratner's production company, though no criminal charges were filed. His last directorial release was Hercules in 2014.
In addition to the Melania Trump documentary, Ratner is attached to direct Rush Hour 4, a revival reportedly encouraged by Larry Ellison, whose son leads Paramount Global. USA TODAY said it contacted Ratner's representatives and RatPac Entertainment for comment but did not receive a response.
The Justice Department's document release has been framed by officials as a transparen
