Philippines censors want part of Barbie scene blurred after film banned in Vietnam

Censorship board ‘meticulously’ examined the Greta Gerwig film

Censors in the Philippines have allowed Barbie to be shown in the country’s cinemas, but have requested for certain lines on a map in the movie to be blurred out.

The news comes after Vietnam banned the film, made by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, earlier this month.

The national ban was prompted by a scene officials believed to include the “nine-dash line”, a representation of China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea, which Vietnam says violates its sovereignty.

China and Vietnam have long been in a stand-off over the region, while Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia all make claims to parts of the sea.

After two “meticulous” reviews of the film, as well as consultations with foreign affairs officials and legal experts, censors in the Philippines took the decision to allow screenings.

Censors came to the conclusion that the map, which Warner Bros defended as a “doodle” that was “not intended to make any type of statement”, does not depict the nine-dash line.

“Instead, the map portrayed the route of the make-believe journey of Barbie from Barbie Land to the ’real world’, as an integral part of the story,” the censorship board said.

“Rest assured that the board has exhausted all possible resources in arriving at this decision as we have not hesitated in the past to sanction filmmakers/ producers/distributors for exhibiting the fictitious ’nine-dash line’ in their materials.”

The map features dashed lines in numerous places. The one next to Asia features eight dashes, rather than nine.

According to The Guardian, in a separate letter to the Philippines senator Francis Tolentino, who had spoken out against the film for “violating Filipino fisherfolks’ rights”, the censors said they had asked Warner Bros to “blur” out any controversial lines on the map.

Ryan Gosling at the LA ‘Barbie’ premiere (Getty Images)

First reactions to the film, following its Los Angeles premiere earlier this month, have singled out Gosling as a “scene-stealer” deserving of an Oscar.

This Week Media editor Eze Baum said: “Barbie is a triumph. A pitch-perfect script backed by great performances – particularly from Ryan Gosling – turns what could be a simple studio comedy into a sharp commentary on our society that makes its nuance palatable for those that may not take it at face value. GG is 3/3.”

Robbie has been delivering some memorable fashion moments throughout the press tour for the film, including a pink leather Balmain minidress inspired by the “Earring Magic” Barbie doll from the Nineties. Check out some of the outfits here.

Barbie is due for release in the UK on 21 July, and in the Philippines on 19 July.