The world of Russian cinema has been at the center of controversy recently due to the screening of a pirated version of the successful Warner Bros. film, “Barbie”. This unusual situation has generated great interest and debate throughout the country, as Russian cinemas have begun showing unauthorized copies of this film, in an attempt to circumvent the restrictions imposed by the major Hollywood studios in Russia.
The story behind this controversial screening dates back to last year, when Russian film distributors devised an illicit scheme to obtain digital copies of films shown in Kazakhstan through the Telegram messaging application, without the authorization of the film owners. Copyright.
A pirated copy of “Barbie” is shown in Russia and sparks controversy
This unorthodox method allowed films to reach Russian audiences clandestinely. Hollywood companies, aware of the growing illegal distribution of films in Russia, took steps to prevent the country from joining the global craze for “Barbie” and other popular films.
However, recently, a copy of the film arrived at an open-air cinema in the Siberian city of Tyumen, according to the RTVI channel. The organizers of this screening defended their decision to show the pirated version of “Barbie,” arguing that they were only seeking to provide entertainment amid the current difficult circumstances.
Despite criticism of the quality of the dubbing and the presence of annoying pop-up gambling ads common on pirated content streaming sites, they insisted that it was a “perfectly normal alternative for ordinary people who want to go out on the town.” evening”.
The war between Russia and Ukraine prevents Russian moviegoers from seeing “Barbie”
Despite this pirated screening, Russian distributors say high-quality “digital premieres” of “Barbie” and other films will hit Russian theaters in the fall. This is due to the 100-day gap between theatrical releases in other countries and Russia.
It is worth mentioning that “Barbie” was released worldwide on July 21, but did not reach Russia due to the geopolitical situation that arose after the invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops in early 2022.