By Anadya Narain
warner bros.
Vietnam has recently banned Warner Bros.’ highly anticipated film “Barbie” from domestic distribution, find out why.
warner bros.
The film, directed by Greta Gerwig, was set to hit theaters in the country on July 21, aligning with its big-screen release in most countries around the world.
warner bros.
However, state media announced the movie will not be released due to a scene that includes a map using the “nine-dash line”
warner bros.
A set of line segments that represent China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea — which Vietnam claims violates its sovereignty.
warner bros.
The U-shaped line, which was first seen on maps in 1947, includes parts that Vietnam sees as its continental shelf, where it has awarded oil concessions.
The line is highly controversial as many of China’s neighbors have competing and overlapping territorial claims
In 2019, the Vietnamese government pulled DreamWorks’ animated film “Abominable,” and last year it banned Sony’s action movie “Unchartered” for the same reason.
dreamworks
“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,” state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper said, citing Vi Kien Thanh, head of the Department of Cinema