'The Apprentice' Director 'Grateful' for Donald Trump's Complaints

"The Apprentice" director Ali Abbasi isn't sweating Donald Trump's harsh criticism of his flick ... in fact, he's encouraging 45 to keep posting about the biopic.

We caught up with the filmmaker on "TMZ Live" Monday, where we got Abbasi's honest reaction to Trump blasting "The Apprentice" on his social media platform, Truth Social.

As Abbasi puts it ... he has no problem with the former prez taking to social media to air his grievances, as the reaction only brings more eyeballs to the controversial movie.

He notes ... "Thanks to him we get better publicity and we get more people to come and watch it now. So, I'm grateful."

When asked if he plans to speak with Trump directly about the film, Abbasi makes it clear he's available to the Republican nominee and his family if they want him to host a screening.

He continues ... "I also think he is curious. I would be curious too. It would be fun for him and it would be fun for me. We can sit together. Why not?"

Though, we doubt Trump will take Abbasi up on his offer ... with DT having called "The Apprentice" a "fake and classless" movie, as well as "a cheap, defamatory, and politically disgusting hatchet job."

Trump accused Abbasi of making and releasing the movie as an effort to thwart his 2024 re-election effort.