Barbie Land just got a little smaller.
The highly-anticipated “Barbie” has been banned in Vietnam over the inclusion of the “nine dash line map” depicting islands in the South China Sea as being controlled by Beijing. Vietnamese politicians claim the map violates its sovereignty.
Vi Kien Thanh, director general of the Vietnam Cinema Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, announced that “Barbie” will not be allowed to commercially screen in the nation, as decided by the National Film Evaluation Council.
“We do not grant license for the American movie ‘Barbie’ to release in Vietnam because it contains the offending image of the nine-dash line,” the state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper stated, citing Thanh (via Variety).
Previous films “Uncharted” and “Abominable” were similarly banned in Vietnam for the same cause, as well as series “Madam Secretary,” “Pine Gap,” and “Put Your Head On My Shoulder.”
The United Nations ruled unanimously against the validity of the “nine dash line” map in 2016, but China has stated it does not recognize the U.N.’s decision.
“Barbie” lead star and producer Margot Robbie previously shared that upon first reading director Gerwig’s script for the live-action Mattel film, she was shocked it could even get made.
“The first time I read the ‘Barbie’ script, my reaction was, ‘Ah! This is so good. What a shame it will never see the light of day,’” Robbie said earlier this year, “‘because they are never going to let us make this movie.’ But they did.”
Screenwriter Gerwig admitted it felt like “vertigo” to pen the movie alongside collaborator Noah Baumbach. “Where do you even begin? What would be the story?” Gerwig recalled wondering. “I think it was that feeling I had that it would be really interesting terror. Usually, that’s where the best stuff is. When you’re like, ‘I am terrified of that.’ Anything where you’re like, ‘This could be a career-ender,’ then you’re like, ‘OK, I probably should do it.’”
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