Barbie, the instant Hollywood hit that has dominated global cinemas for weeks, has been withdrawn from Algerian cinemas this week, around a month after it premiered in the North African nation, according to a report by the Associated Press.
Why was Barbie banned in Algeria?
According to online news source 24H Algerie, the Ministry of Culture and Arts in Algeria instructed cinemas in Algiers, Oran, and Constantine, all major cities in the country, to promptly remove the movie from screening.
Neither the ministry nor the Algerian Audiovisual Regulatory Authority have issued any statements regarding the reported decision or offered an explanation for this action.
Following the footsteps of Kuwait and Lebanon, authorities in Algeria have also taken the step to prohibit the live-action movie inspired by the iconic American fashion doll. This decision is based on claims that the film poses a potential threat to conservative values.
But the move immediately shuts the Algerian people out of a global conversation about the famous doll Barbie, which promoted unattainable Eurocentric standards of beauty across the world, at a time when feminists have begun to hold Mattel, the manufacturers of the doll for decades accountable.
It also underscores the Algerian government’s nostalgia for an age-long forgotten period where feminism and women’s rights were not considered, in the age of women’s advancement and equality across the world.
The move from these countries is also part of a backlash against the feminist agenda that has engulfed the world in the past few years.
High-profile personalities in Algeria expressed their dissatisfaction with this cancellation through social media, using the hashtag “#IAmBarbie” to voice their grievances. Many criticized the move as an act of “censorship” and “intolerance.”
Writer Leila Belkacem shared her thoughts on Facebook, stating, “They argue that the ‘Barbie’ film is a menace to moral values. But what moral values are they referring to when the censors indulge in explicit films behind closed doors? Isn’t it time to cease dragging the nation into their misguided perceptions?”
Others have called the censorship an act against free speech and freedom of expression. Many Algerians in the diaspora have trooped in to see the movie in protest of the government’s decision.
Fatima Ait Kaci, a retired educator, shared her personal disappointment. She had made a promise to take her two granddaughters, who were visiting from Canada, to watch the movie. The news of the film’s cancellation reached Ait Kaci only when they arrived at the Riadh El Feth cinema in Algiers and realized that a different film was scheduled for the 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. time slot.
She remarked that the Algerian authorities appear unwilling to bear the responsibility for what she described as a disgraceful act of censorship.
In the preceding week, the Audiovisual Regulatory Authority made public its decision to temporarily halt all broadcasts from the private TV channel Es Salam. This was allegedly due to the channel’s airing of a program in a manner deemed irresponsible and unprofessional, containing scenes that are perceived as contradictory to the principles of Islam and the societal norms of Algeria.
Despite the absence of explicit sexual content or references to Western democracy and or totalitarian rules that has engulfed many parts of the world in recent years, “Barbie,” has become a target due to its bold and inclusive message promoting gender equality and inclusion. This stance, coupled with the movie’s vibrant nature, seems to have ignited criticism in a region where discussions about equality or even access to full-time job placement for women are commonly regarded as sensitive.
Since its release, the Warner Bros. film has amassed a global box office revenue exceeding $1 billion.
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