The Greta Gerwig-directed Barbie movie will be released in the Philippines, but the scenes showing the controversial map may have to be blurred.
Variety reports that the Philippines’ Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has looked into the situation following concerns that the Barbie Land map in the movie depicts the infamous ‘nine-dash line.’ The MTRCB said in a statement addressing the issue in reference to its findings, “Considering the concept by which the cartoonish map of the character ‘Weird Barbie’ was portrayed in the film, the Review Committee is convinced that the contentious scene does not depict the ‘nine-dash line.’ Instead, the map portrayed the route of the make-believe journey of Barbie from Barbie Land to the ‘real world’ as an integral part of the story.”
The MTRCB, in a letter sent to Philippines Senator Francis Tolentino, said, “The Board believes that with all things considered, it has no basis to ban the film Barbie as there is no outright depiction of the nine-dash line in the subject of the film.” The media in the Philippines have reported that censors have still asked Warner Bros. to blur the map in the movie as a precaution. The MTRCB stated that the Barbie movie, which will release later this month, underwent two meticulous screenings, one of which involved the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Solicitor General’s office. The MTRCB has yet to release an official statement regarding the review since after July 4, but Barbie has reportedly been granted a PG-13 rating in the Philippines.
Barbie Was Banned in Vietnam
Barbie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, has been banned from releasing in the Vietnamese territory over the “nine-dash line” controversy. The nine-dash line refers to a historical territorial dispute that pits China against some of its neighbors, such as Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Taiwan, over claims to the South China Sea. China claims possession over nearly all the sea as its territory, contrary to the United Nations (UN) ruling, which found no basis for such a claim. However, the UN’s reluctance to declare who had sovereignty over the area has maintained tensions.
The Barbie movie map, Vietnam has claimed, depicts drawings representing the “nine-dash” lines that reinforce the Chinese claim to its territory and negate its sovereignty. Warner Bros. responded to the claims stating through a spokesperson that the child-like crayon drawings only served to depict Barbie’s journey from Barbie Land to the ‘real world.’ No political commentary on the studio’s part was intended.
Barbie will debut in cinemas on July 21, 2023.
Source: Variety