The “24H Algérie” news website, quoting “informed sources”, indicated that the film was withdrawn from cinemas in the country on charges of violating “morals”.
On Sunday, cinema operators modified their show programs with the removal of the film directed by Greta Gerwig, without explaining the move.
The company responsible for distributing “Barbie” in Algeria also announced the cancellation of the film, which was released on July 19 in Algerian theaters, without going into details.
And the TSA news site explained that “Algeria eventually reached the Barbie controversy due to scenes intended for an adult audience,” and allusions to homosexuality included in the film, which was “secretly withdrawn from cinemas,” according to the site.
Nearly 48 hours after the film was withdrawn from the theaters, the Algerian Ministry of Culture, which usually announces the banning of films with specific reasons, is still silent on the matter.
Last Thursday, Kuwait banned the film because it “offends public morals.” The day before, the Lebanese Minister of Culture requested that Barbie be banned in Lebanon on charges of promoting homosexuality, in light of the growing anti-gay rhetoric in a country seen as one of the most liberal in the Arab world.
Barbie has not been released in Qatar, which has not yet made any official announcement on this subject, while it has been shown in other Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, where it is witnessing great demand.
Almost a month after its release, the movie “Barbie” is still topping the box office in North America, and its revenues have exceeded one billion dollars worldwide.
The film became a real cultural phenomenon, as the color pink swept the world, with various clothes and accessories inspired by the world of “Barbie”.
The launch of the movie “Barbie” also caused an increase in sales of these dolls manufactured by the American “Mattel” group.
© 2023 AFP
