Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie’s blockbuster film Barbie has been banned in Kuwait following concerns over its content. The film has faced criticism in Lebanon, too, for similar reasons. The Greta Gerwig directorial previously faced a ban in Vietnam as well, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Barbie and the supernatural horror film Talk to Me have been banned in Kuwait to safeguard "public ethics and social traditions," according to the state news agency Kuna. Barbie has been accused of promoting inappropriate behaviour and corrupt societal standards by Lafi Al-Subaie, the head of Kuwait's film censorship committee.
In Lebanon, the movie has come under fire for allegedly “promoting homosexuality”. Culture Minister Mohammad Mortada, backed by the influential political party and militant group Hezbollah, claimed that the film supports homosexuality and sexual transformation, “going against the values of faith and morality”. Mortada's statements prompted Lebanon's interior minister Bassam Mawlawi to request the General Security's censorship committee to review the film and provide its recommendation.
Lebanon has a history of mixed stances on LGBTQ+ rights, according to Reuters. While it hosted the region's first gay pride week in 2017, recent years have seen increased crackdowns against LGBTQ+ communities. In 2022, authorities in the country reportedly “unlawfully banned peaceful gatherings” of LGBTQ+ individuals, according to Human Rights Watch.
Barbie stars Margot Robbie as the titular character and Ryan Gosling as Ken and follows their journey from Barbie Land to the real world. The film has achieved remarkable success at the box office. The film, which was released alongside Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, reached a significant milestone earlier this week, crossing the $1 billion mark in worldwide box office gross. It's the first time that a film directed by a woman has achieved this feat.
The film was also banned in Vietnam earlier due to a contentious scene involving a map featuring the ‘nine-dash line,’ which represents China's territorial claims in the South China Sea and is contested by Vietnam.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
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