MTRCB allows ‘Barbie’ screening

MANILA, Philippines — The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has allowed the screening of the Greta Gerwig film “Barbie” in the Philippines starting July 19.

Sen. Francis Tolentino yesterday shared with the media a letter from the MTRCB to his office about its decision to allow the screening of the film.

The letter was signed by MTRCB chair Diorella Maria Sotto-Antonio and review committee members Maria Lourdes Choa-Fagar, Katrina Angela Ebarle and Jennifer Seares.

The board reviewed the film and discussed the controversial scene that caused an uproar among senators – a supposed world map that showed Barbie’s journey from Barbie Land to the real world.

The world map, which Tolentino wants banned, showed a kid’s rendition of world continents. For the senator, squiggly lines on the map, which showed Barbie’s path on her self-journey, pertain to Beijing’s sweeping nine-dash lines.

The MTRCB consulted with a legal expert on the West Philippine Sea as well as representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Solicitor General, who all found that there is actually no nine-dash line.

The scene only showed eight dashes or dots and the countries like the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia are not even visible on the childishly drawn map.

There was no clear reference to China’s sweeping historical claims, unlike in the films “Abominable” in 2019 and “Uncharted” in 2022, which made clear references, according to the board.

The MTRCB also quoted a representative of Warner Bros. in a Variety.com report, which said the controversial scene “was not intended to make any type of statement.”

“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 representative was quoted as saying in the report, the MTRCB 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 MTRCB told the senator.

“The MTRCB will continue to uphold the best interest of the Filipino people. To this end, we will issue a stern warning to all filmmakers/producers/distributors that the board will continue to sanction, disallow or ban films portraying any kind of depiction of the ‘nine-dash line,’” it added.

Tolentino could not hide his disappointment, saying it was “unfortunate” that the board made the decision on the seventh anniversary of the 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling that invalidated China’s “nine-dash line.”