Al-Quds newspaper

According to local media sources, Algeria withdrew the movie “Barbie” from local cinemas on the pretext that it conflicts with “morality” after weeks of showings in Algerian cinemas.

And the “24H Algerie” news website cited “informed sources” as saying the film had been withdrawn from theaters in the country on charges of violating “morals.”

On Sunday, cinema operators changed their programming by removing the Greta Gerwig-directed film.

The company responsible for distributing “Barbie” in Algeria announced on July 19 that it was canceling the film’s release in Algerian cinemas, without going into details.

And the TSA news site reported that “Algeria finally reaches Barbie controversy over scenes aimed at adult audiences” and references to homosexuality included in the film, which the site said were “secretly withdrawn from the films”.

It’s been 48 hours since the movie was pulled from theaters, and the Algerian Ministry of Culture, which routinely announces bans on movies for specific reasons, is still silent on the matter.

Last Thursday, Kuwait banned the film because it “offends public morals”. Earlier in the day, Lebanon’s culture minister called for Barbie to be banned in Lebanon on charges of promoting homophobia, amid growing anti-gay rhetoric in the Arab world’s most liberal country.

While it has been shown in other Arab countries including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the Barbie has not been released in Qatar, which is yet to make an official announcement on the matter.

Almost a month after its release, the movie “Barbie” is still at the top of the box office in North America, and its revenue has exceeded one billion dollars worldwide.

The film became a true cultural phenomenon as the color pink took the world by storm, with various outfits and accessories inspired by the world of “Barbie”.

The release of the movie “Barbie” caused an increase in the sales of these dolls produced by the American “Mattel” group.