The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) on Wednesday said it has reviewed the much-awaited live-action movie “Barbie" and is now deliberating whether or not the movie will be given a permit to screen in local theaters nationwide.
The review came after several Senators called for the ban of the movie due to a specific scene wherein a map, depicting the controversial “nine-dash line” in the South China Sea, was shown.
The "nine-dash line" is a U-shape used on Chinese maps to show China's territorial claims over vast areas of the South China Sea, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei.
"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,” it said in a statement.
The MTRCB said a copy of the decision will be released on its official website.
The Vietnamese government first banned the “Barbie The Movie” from domestic distribution due to the “nine-dash line”.
Directed by American actress and film director Greta Gerwig, the live-action movie is set to premiere in theaters worldwide on July 21.
The film follows the child-favorite plastic doll Barbie and her boy toy Ken as they discover the real world after getting a chance to leave the box of the pink Barbie World.
