Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
THE Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has ruled that there is “no sufficient basis” to ban the movie “Barbie” for allegedly featuring China’s nine-dash-line over the South China Sea.
In a letter addressed to Sen. Francis Tolentino, the MTRCB revealed its findings and provided insights into its decision, saying it had given the film a parental guidance (“PG”) rating which means viewers below 13 must be accompanied by a parent or supervising adult.
“The MTRCB is firm, as per its mandate under Presidential Decree 1986, that when there is a clear portrayal in films/television of scenes injurious to the prestige of the Republic of the Philippines such as the nine-dash line we will not hesitate to ban said materials. Conversely, if the material does not pose such a threat, then, in the spirit of fairness and objectivity, we will not impose a ban on such materials,” the letter read.
“The Board believes that, all things considered, it has no basis to ban the film ‘Barbie’ as there is no clear nor outright depiction of the nine-dash line in the subject film, in comparison to films such as ‘Abominable’ and ‘Uncharted.'”
The MTRCB said the film underwent two meticulous screenings, during which the review committee thoroughly studied the content and engaged in discussions and deliberations.
Additionally, the MTRCB said it consulted with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to gather expert opinions on the matter.
“As such, a second screening was conducted by the Board, along with the representatives from the DFA and the OSG in order to fully ascertain and determine if the said lines depict the nine-dash line. We have similarly sought the opinion of a legal expert on the West Philippine Sea during the deliberations in order to gather as much resources to arrive with a fully informed decision regarding this matter,” the MTRCB said.
It further explained the scene in question that featured a child-like crayon drawing with four dashed lines on a map.
“These lines appear in multiple locations worldwide, including Europe, North America, South America, Africa, and Asia. Importantly, the dash lines attached to the landmass labeled ‘Asia’ do not form a U-shape, and instead of the controversial nine dashes, they consist of eight dots or dashes. Furthermore, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia are not visible on the map, distinguishing it from maps found in previously banned films such as ‘Abominable’ (2019) and ‘Uncharted’ (2022).”
The MTRCB also included a Warner Bros. Film Group’s exclusive interview with Variety which clarified that, “the map in Barbie Land is a child-like crayon drawing… The doodles depict Barbie’s make-believe journey from Barbie Land to the ‘real world.'” The film company said that the lines were not intended to make any type of statement.
It was early July when the Vietnamese authorities decided to prohibit the domestic distribution of the film “Barbie” due to a scene that includes China’s disputed nine-dash-line map, which forms the foundation of its expansive but internationally invalidated claims in the South China Sea.
“Barbie” is scheduled for release in the Philippines July 19. — Iza Iglesias
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