Hollywood movie ‘Barbie’ seems to be in a row of controversies after showing politically sensitive map of Southeast Asia. And now , after Vietnam banning the film, Philippines have also joined the bandwagon and warned to ban it.
The controversy is all about nine-dash line, a U-shaped line indicating China’s controversial territorial claims in the South China Sea, which Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei all say violate their sovereignty.
Speaking to CNN Philippines on Tuesday, local Senator Francis Tolentino said, “If the invalidated nine-dash line was indeed depicted in the movie Barbie, then it is incumbent upon the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board of the Philippines to ban the same as it denigrates Philippine sovereignty.”
The senator added that editing out the offending scene could be a “middle ground” compromise for Philippine regulators and the film studio. Such a move, however, could risk angering film regulators in China, where Barbie has already been approved for a release and is expected to earn far more than it does in Southeast Asia.
The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board of the Philippines on Tuesday posted a notice to its website reading: “We confirm that the Board has reviewed the film Barbie today, 04 July 2023. At this time, the assigned Committee on First Review is deliberating on the request of Warner Brothers F.E. Inc. for a Permit to Exhibit.”
On Monday, Vietnam’s National Film Evaluation Council has announced that it is banning all the screenings of the movie in the country.
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