Vietnam Bans Upcoming 2023 “Barbie” Movie from Theatres

Vietnam has banned the upcoming “Barbie” film from theatres because to sequences depicting China’s claims to territory in the South China Sea, according to state media on Monday.

Greta Gerwig’s fantasy comedy film about the famed doll, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, was scheduled for a widespread release in Vietnam on July 21.

However, its performance schedule has been withdrawn off the websites of the country’s major theatre chains as a result of a government decision to ban the picture due to scenes including the so-called nine-dash line, according to state media.

China has long utilised the so-called nine-dash line to demonstrate its sweeping claims over the majority of the resource-rich sea, much to the chagrin of Hanoi, which also claims parts of the waterway.

“The film review board watched the film and decided to ban the screening of this film in Vietnam due to a violation regarding the ‘nine-dash line,'” Vi Kien Thanh, director of Vietnam’s Department of Cinema, told the Dan Tri news site.

Tien Phong, another state media site, said that the nine-dash line scenario appeared many times in the film.

Censors in communist Vietnam must approve all films for gratuitous violence, explicit sex scenes, or politically sensitive themes.

The action-adventure film “Uncharted,” starring Tom Holland, was banned from theatres last year owing to sequences utilising the nine-dash line.

In 2018, Vietnam deleted a scene from the romantic comedy “Crazy Rich Asians” that included a designer bag with a map of the world displaying the disputed South China Sea islands controlled by Beijing.

A year later, Hanoi pulled the animated DreamWorks picture “Abominable” from theatres due to the same issue, while Netflix was ordered last year to remove episodes of its “Pine Gap” series due to similar images.

The South China Sea contains major oil and gas deposits as well as shipping channels, and several of China’s neighbours are concerned that Beijing is attempting to expand its reach.

First Barbie in America

Barbie is a popular fashion doll created by American businesswoman Ruth Handler in 1959. The doll was manufactured by the toy company Mattel, Inc., and quickly became one of the most iconic toys in history. Barbie has since become a cultural icon, representing beauty, fashion, and aspiration for generations of children.

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Barbie’s popularity has led to the creation of a vast range of accessories, playsets, and other merchandise, including clothing, furniture, vehicles, and even movies. The brand has expanded beyond dolls to include animated films, television series, video games, and a wide range of consumer products.

While Barbie has faced criticism and controversy over the years, particularly regarding body image and unrealistic beauty standards, the brand has made efforts to diversify and promote inclusivity. In recent years, Mattel has introduced dolls with different body types, skin tones, and hair textures to better reflect the diversity of its audience.

Overall, Barbie remains an enduring and influential toy brand, loved by children and collectors alike, and continues to evolve to stay relevant in today’s changing world.