ALGIERS, ALGERIA – The “Barbie” movie faced removal from Algerian theaters this week, nearly one month after its release in the North African country.
Reports from the online news outlet 24H Algerie indicated that Algeria’s Ministry of Culture and Arts instructed cinemas in Algiers, Oran, and Constantine to “immediately” halt screenings of the movie. However, neither the ministry nor the Algerian Audiovisual Regulatory Authority provided an official explanation for this decision.
“Barbie” had debuted in some Algerian cinemas the previous month, but the film’s distributors made the decision to remove the Hollywood blockbuster from their schedules starting this week.
This development follows similar actions taken by Kuwait and Lebanon, where authorities banned the live-action movie based on the American fashion dolls due to alleged threats to conservative values.
The reported removal of “Barbie” triggered reactions on social media in Algeria, with some individuals expressing their dissent using the hashtag “#IAmBarbie.” Others denounced the move as “censorship” and “bigotry.”
Writer Leila Belkacem posted on her Facebook page, “The ‘Barbie’ film ‘is a threat to morality,’ they say. What morality are they talking about when the censors gorge on porn films at home? Aren’t you tired of dragging the country into your dark delusions?”
For some Algerians, the decision was met with disappointment. Fatima Ait Kaci, a retired teacher, recounted her intent to take her visiting granddaughters from Canada to see the movie. However, upon their arrival at the Riadh El Feth cinema in Algiers, they discovered a different film being shown during the designated time slot.
Ait Kaci criticized the authorities, stating, “Algerian authorities ‘don’t have the courage to take responsibility for this shameful act of censorship.'”
Although “Barbie” does not include explicit sexuality or references to LGBTQ+ rights, it appears to have garnered criticism due to its flamboyant nature and its broad message of inclusion and gender equality. In a region where homosexuality is often considered taboo, this message may have sparked controversy.
Despite these challenges, the Warner Bros. film has achieved a global box office gross of over $1 billion since its release.