Warner Bros., the distributor of this summer's blockbuster "Barbie," paused their operations in Russia following the nation's invasion of Ukraine last year. Since then, none of the studio's films have gotten official releases in the country. Russia’s Ministry of Culture has not received a request for "Barbie," and they've denied claims of any dubbing efforts for the film in the Russian language.
Despite many Russian cinema networks refusing to show unlicensed films and avoiding pirated copies, the high demand for the "Barbie" movie has led some smaller theaters to screen low-quality bootleg versions. An audience of close to 90 gathered in the Siberian city of Tyumen for a makeshift screening, with promise of more to come in Moscow.
Even as Barbie fever sweeps across the nation's social media and unofficial screenings sell out, the pirated copies have attracted complaints for poor quality.
The US, EU, and allied nations have imposed sanctions on Russian goods and products since the onset of the war. Nevertheless, some items have made their way to Russian consumers through countries not observing these sanctions.
Beyond the film, Barbie-themed posts and outfits are trending among Russian influencers and celebrities, despite officials condemning the film and associated merchandise for propagating what they consider 'morally degraded Western values.'
Russian lawmakers, journalists, and pedagogical experts express strong reservations about the American doll-turned-movie sensation, linking it to the US's supposedly declining culture. Their objections relate to supposed anti-family values, promotion of LGBTQ+ themes, and unrealistic body standards.
“Interestingly, Barbie became available to children in the 1990s. The girls who were brought up to play with this doll are now plus or minus 30 years old. Now they have somewhat different ideals,” observed Associate Professor Tatyana Semenova. “The priority is not the family, but a career, and maybe what was laid down in childhood is manifesting itself today.”
Moves have been made within the ruling party, United Russia, to introduce a bill to the State Duma that would necessitate checking children’s toys and games for conformity with the country’s “spiritual and moral ideology."
However, despite these official objections, the doll-cum-movie sensation continues to bridge cultural gaps and ignite interest among the Russian public.
