“Barbie”, a blockbuster in the West, is no longer available in the few cinemas still operating in Algeria. Released three weeks ago, the film has finally been discreetly withdrawn from the screens for “moral violations”, according to local media reports.
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The adventures of the famous Mattel doll are no longer welcome in Algeria. The country has removed the movie “Barbie” from its movie theaters after its premiere in the country on July 19, although the authorities have not ruled on it, local media say that the decision was made for “moral” reasons.
According to the online news site ’24H Algérie’, citing “well-informed sources”, the film has been withdrawn from all theaters in the nation for “offending morality”.
On Sunday, theater owners changed their schedules by pulling the Greta Gerwig film, without giving any reason.
“Scenes intended for an adult audience”
The distributor also announced that the film had been pulled, without giving further details.
“Algeria ended up winning the Barbie controversy for the scenes intended for adult audiences” and the references to homosexuality, the TSA news website explained.
Almost 48 hours after the cancellation of the tape, the Algerian Ministry of Culture, which usually announces film bans and gives the reasons for them, remains silent.
Last Thursday, August 10, Kuwait also banned the film for “offending public morals.”
In addition, the Lebanese Ministry of Culture reported that it had requested a ban on the film for “promoting homosexuality”, in a context of growing rhetoric against sexual minorities in one of the most liberal countries in the Middle East.
“Barbie” is still not screened in Qatar, although this country has not made any official announcement in this regard.
Barbie sales soar
Almost a month after its release, the movie “Barbie” continues to top the box office in the United States and has crossed the billion dollar barrier worldwide.
Already a cultural phenomenon, this big-budget production, which was the subject of an intense marketing campaign, caused an avalanche of pink all over the world: clothes, various accessories, skates, etc.
The launch of “Barbie” also triggered a flurry of doll sales by the US group Mattel.
This article was adapted from its original in French
with AFP
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