Banning ‘Barbie’ in Vietnam: Warner Bros Explains World Map

The film will not be shown in cinemas in Vietnam in the future. After the decision of the authorities in Hanoi, the American film studio spoke out.

HANOI / LOS ANGELES – After the eagerly awaited Barbie movie was banned in Vietnam due to its controversial world map, US film studio Warner Bros. has spoken out. According to the authorities in Hanoi, the tape shows the so-called nine-part line, which China has claimed large parts of the South China Sea on maps for decades. However, other countries also claim territories there – such as Vietnam, the Philippines or Malaysia.

So the National Board of Film Classification decided a few days ago that “Barbie” will not be shown in cinemas in the Southeast Asian country. In the Philippines, authorities are also considering a possible ban for the same reason. “The Barbieland map is a children’s crayon drawing,” a Warner Bros. spokesperson told Variety. “The doodle represents Barbie’s imaginary journey from Barbieland to the ‘real world’. It was not intended to make any statement.”

The Toronto Star wrote in a commentary that the world map is completely “cartoonish” and “unrealistic”. “Where is Continental Europe? New Zealand? What do sailing boats represent?” the paper asked sarcastically.

The movie “Barbie” starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling tells the story of Barbie dolls and Ken, who are happy in the colorful and seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land. But then they are transported into the real world – which has many unsettling consequences. It is the first movie adapted with real actors. “Barbie” can be seen in Germany from July 20. dpa