Algeria has banned the movie “Barbie,” which had been showing at some cinemas in the country for several weeks, the local 24H Algerie news site reported on Monday.
In the report, the news site quoted an official source who said the film “promotes homosexuality and other Western deviances” and that it “does not comply with Algeria’s religious and cultural beliefs.”
Algeria‘s Culture Ministry supervises the contents of films projected in cinemas and can stop them from being shown.
Starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, the movie sends Mattel Inc’s (MAT.O) doll on an adventure into the real world. The film has topped $1 billion in box office ticket sales worldwide since its July 21 debut.
The billion-dollar Greta Gerwig film has been pulled from Algerian cinemas after the government’s culture ministry requested all screenings cease due to the film’s alleged promotion of gay themes.
An official source told Reuters that the film “promotes homosexuality and other Western deviances” and “does not comply with Algeria’s religious and cultural beliefs.”
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Private news site 24H Algérie first reported the ban, citing that the Algerian government told local distributor MD Ciné and cinema chains that “Barbie” was being removed for “damaging morals.”
Warner Bros. declined to comment.The film has also been banned in Kuwait due to how it “promulgate[s] ideas and beliefs that are alien to Kuwaiti society and public order” per the BBC (via Reuters). To note, Kuwait recently barred A24 horror film “Talk to Me” from release due to non-binary star Zoe Terakes.
Lebanon have also banned the film.
