Barbie has been pulled from theaters in Algeria.
The movie, which has earned more than $1b globally, was shown to Algerian audiences for three weeks until the Cultural Ministry asked for its withdrawal, according to Reuters.
An ‘official source’ told the news outlet the live action film starring Margot Robbie as the title character and Ryan Gosling as Ken ‘promotes homosexuality and other Western deviances’ and ‘does not comply with Algeria’s religious and cultural beliefs.’
Algeria is not the only conservative country to ban Barbie.
Lebanon cited similar reasons when it prohibited audiences from watching the movie last week.
The movie, which has earned more than $1b globally, was shown to Algerian audiences for three weeks until the Cultural Ministry asked for its withdrawal, according to Reuters.
An ‘official source’ told the news outlet the live action film starring Margot Robbie as the title character and Ryan Gosling as Ken ‘promotes homosexuality and other Western deviances’ and ‘does not comply with Algeria’s religious and cultural beliefs.’
Algeria is not the only conservative country to ban Barbie.
Lebanon cited similar reasons when it prohibited audiences from watching the movie last week.
Culture Minister Mohammad Mortada, who has the support of the powerful Hezbollah, claimed the project was found to ‘promote homosexuality and sexual transformation’ and ‘contradicts values of faith and morality’ by diminishing the importance of the family.
The country has seen an uptick in anti-LGBTQ rhetoric.
A recent speech from Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah who is a recent speech referred to Islamic texts calling for punishing homosexuals with death.
Kuwait followed suit, banning not only the number one film in the world, but the spooky Talk To Me as well, citing the need to protect ‘public ethics and social traditions.’
Vietnam banned the film after being offended by a world map used in one scene which it felt was a depiction of a long-disputed maritime border with China in the South China Sea.
In China, where movie options are heavily regulated by the government, audiences have embraced the dramady, spending some $32 million on tickets.
One woman commenting on Douban, a popular Chinese movie review site, wrote, ‘You know, Chinese women don’t get many chances to see a high-quality, female-focused movie in the cinema,’ according to CNN.
In Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, the movie has been well-received by audiences, although some critics have complained about the film’s message, and one woman wanted it banned because it was a ‘distortion of feminism.’
The New York Times reported some theaters have scheduled up to 15 showings per day.
Star Robbie, who also served as an executive producer on the film, said Barbie ‘was literally crafted to be for everyone.’
In an interview with Extra, the Australian actress explained, ‘Like [director] Greta [Gerwig] said from the beginning, this is a big pie and everyone is invited.’
‘The whole movie plays on so many different levels. I mean so much of it is so silly, and absurd, and ridiculous,’ she said.
‘And I think little kids, in particular, and people who care about, you know, design, things like that are just going to be blown away by Barbieland.
‘And it’s all tangible and it’s amazing. And then there’s, you know, some pretty profound conversations happening at the same time.’
