Nasionalberita.com – Barbie films have been banned in Kuwait for allegedly bringing ideas that conflict with local values. This ban is said to originate from local censorship agencies in the Middle East.
Kuwaiti media reported that the head of the film’s censorship committee, Lafi Al-Suba, criticized Barbie for “encouraging unacceptable behavior and damaging the social values of society.”
In addition, Kuwait also banned the showing of a horror film entitled Talk To Me. Reuters reported that the ban was put in place to protect “public ethics and social traditions.”
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This ban is actually nothing new in Kuwait. The country has long been known as one of the strictest when it comes to limiting the showing of films in theaters.
Kuwait’s move was followed by Lebanon, which also has the potential to ban Barbie shows. This comes after the Lebanese Minister of Culture, Mohammad Mortada, criticized Barbie for “promoting homosexuality and sexual transformation, and contrary to faith and moral values.”
Mortada also believes that Barbie can undermine the importance of the family institution. Mortada’s position has the backing of the Shiite armed group Hezbollah led by Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, a figure who has long fought against the LGBT community.
However, reportedly, the screening of Barbie will still continue in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In fact, these two countries have set the release date for Barbie on August 10.
According to The Hollywood Reporter’s report, Barbie was previously shown in these two countries on July 21 or according to global screenings.
The local censorship then recommended several minor edits, which resulted in the release being postponed to August 31.
However, the editing process appears to have gone much faster, so Barbie will soon be premiering in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The film, directed by Greta Gerwig, is finally slated to release on Thursday, August 10.
However, it is not yet clear whether any cutscenes or other adjustments were made to make the film suitable for screening in the Middle East.
Barbie is the latest creation from Greta Gerwig, a director known for the films Lady Bird (2017) and Little Women (2019). This film is the result of a collaboration with Noah Baumbach, who acts as a screenwriter.
Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling star in the lead roles as Barbie and Ken. However, the film also features a number of other actors and actresses playing variants of the Barbie and Ken characters.
