Barbie Film Screening Canceled in Paris Suburb Amid Controversy and Accusations of Extremism

Olivier Sarrabeyrouse expresses his feelings after the cancellation of Greta Gerwig’s film, a blockbuster released in 2023. "The outdoor cinema screenings, organized for the past five years in the city’s neighborhoods, are one of the highlights of the summer period in Noisy-le-Sec, for those who do not have the chance to go on vacation, and especially for children," he said in a statement. Except that the pressure exerted this year by "a small group from the Londeau neighborhood" led to the cancellation of the screening of the Barbie film, which was nevertheless "chosen by residents of the neighborhood" and "classified as suitable for all audiences in France upon its release in cinemas in 2023," he said.

The mayor accuses an individual of being behind this maneuver orchestrated by "a small group from the neighborhood". This person would have made threats "motivated by fallacious arguments, reflecting obscurantism and fundamentalism instrumentalized for political purposes". The mayor refuses "cultural no-go areas" in his city. "It is therefore an extreme minority of thugs, who, no doubt, have not seen the film, who have transformed a simple free outdoor cinema screening open to all into a violent opposition movement," he said. "In an electoral context, this is a low-level political manipulation by a handful whose main objective is to hinder the success of our municipal actions," added Sarrabeyrouse, also announcing that he had filed a complaint.

The cancellation of the film screening also provoked the annoyance of the Minister of Culture. "Another serious attack on programming, depriving families and children of a cultural activity. For a year, I have taken firm measures against these serious attacks, which have become a new form of delinquency. A complaint is in progress," Rachida Dati reacted on X. For the Paris police prefect, Laurent Nuñez, the facts behind the cancellation of the film "fall under community withdrawal and separatism" and "are contrary to the foundations of our Republic". He announced on Thursday, August 14th, in agreement with the Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau, that he had referred the matter to the justice system.