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A14 PEOPLE/ARTS
Friday 11 august 2023

Kuwait and Lebanon move to ban ‘Barbie’ ahead of film’s Mideast

release

By Nick El Hajj “homosexuality,” instead
Associated Press ordering outlets to refer to
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- it as “sexual deviance.” A
ates (AP) — “Barbie” is set similar order issued by the
to open across the Middle country’s education minis-
East on Thursday, but moves ter banned the word from
by Kuwait and Lebanon to universities.
ban the film for allegedly On Thursday, Muslim-ma-
threatening conservative jority Malaysia banned all
values have raised ques- Swatch products that con-
tions over how widely it will tain LGBTQ+ elements, in-
be released. cluding watches, wrappers
The film centered upon the and boxes, with possession
anatomically improbable punishable by up to three
American dolls contains years in prison.
no overt sexuality or refer- The all-star cast of “Barbie”
ences to LGBTQ+ rights. includes Kate McKinnon,
But it seems to have drawn who is gay, and trangender
fire because of its sheer actor Hari Nef. Many in the
flamboyance and broad LGBTQ+ community have
message of inclusion and embraced the film, even
gender equality in a region as some have criticized it as
where homosexuality is pushing a heteronormative
widely seen as taboo. Ryan Gosling, left, and Margot Robbie pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of narrative.
the film ‘Barbie’ on July 12, 2023, in London.
Kuwait announced its ban (Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP, File) The Warner Bros. movie
late Wednesday, saying has grossed over $1 billion
the film promotes “ideas “contradict values of faith uproar in Lebanon, which Across the Middle East, in less than a month since
and beliefs that are alien and morality” and to “pro- long was an island of rela- many Muslims, Christians opening in other markets.
to the Kuwaiti society and mote homosexuality and tive tolerance for gay men and Jews consider same- The film led and produced
public order,” without sexual transformation.” His and lesbians. The LGBTQ+ sex relations to be sinful. by Margot Robbie, direct-
elaborating, according to request to ban the film was community there has come In some parts of the Arab ed and co-written by Greta
a statement published by forwarded to Lebanon’s under growing pressure in world, members of the Gerwig crossed $400 mil-
the state-run KUNA news General Security agency, recent years as powerful LGBTQ+ community have lion domestic and $500 mil-
agency. which falls under the Interi- Islamist and far-right Chris- been arrested and sen- lion internationally faster
In Lebanon, Culture Minis- or Ministry and traditionally tian groups have gained tenced to prison. than any other movie at
ter Mohammad Mortada handles censorship deci- influence amid a severe In Iraq, regulators banned the studio, including the
said the film was found to sions. The move sparked an economic crisis. media from using the word Harry Potter films.q

Disney to boost prices for ad-free Disney+ and Hulu services and

vows crackdown on password sharing

By David Hamilton stantial net loss while shed- pricing strategy to migrate the company’s strategy for gesting that Iger still doesn’t
Associated Press ding customers in both do- more subs to the advertis- its streaming services and have a plan for putting Dis-
(AP) - Walt Disney Co. CEO mestic and international ing supported tier.” TV networks.” ney on a sound footing.
Bob Iger vowed to make its markets. Overall, Disney Iger didn’t provide details While a narrowing in Dis- Disney is in the middle of
streaming services profit- reported a 4% increase in about the password-shar- ney’s streaming losses is a “ strategic reorganiza-
able via a planned Octo- revenue for the quarter but ing crackdown beyond heartening, he argued, the tion ″ that includes cutting
ber price hike on its ad-free swung to a net loss of $460 saying that Disney could improvements owed more about 7,000 jobs to help
Disney+ and Hulu plans million from a year-earlier reap some benefits in 2024, to dramatic cost-cutting save $5.5 billion across the
and a crackdown on pass- profit of $1.4 billion. Disney although he added that than organic growth, sug- company.q
word sharing expected to shares, which closed at the work “might not be
extend through next year. $87.49, rose roughly 2.2% to completed” that year and
The increases will raise the $89.45 in after-hours trad- that Disney couldn’t pre-
monthly cost of ad-free Dis- ing. dict how many password
ney+ by $3, or roughly 27%, The Disney CEO acknowl- sharers would switch to
to almost $14. The cost of edged that the price hikes paid subscriptions.
ad-free Hulu will likewise are intended to steer con- Some analysts doubted
rise $3 to almost $18 a 20% sumers toward cheaper whether price hikes and
hike that will make it more ad-supported versions of getting tough on password
expensive than the most these services, whose sub- sharers can do much to
popular ad-free tier at Net- scription prices are not lead Disney back to sus-
flix. changing. The advertis- tainable growth. Paul Ver-
Iger spoke following Dis- ing market for streaming is na, an analyst with Insider
ney’s release of mixed “picking up,” he said, not- Intelligence, said in a note
earnings for its fiscal third ing that it’s healthier than that the company’s moves The Walt Disney Co. logo appears on a screen above the floor
quarter ended July 1. The traditional TV ads. “We’re aren’t likely to calm inves- of the New York Stock Exchange on Aug. 7, 2017.
company reported a sub- obviously trying with our tors “anxious for clarity on (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)