Reported by Valeriya Safronova

As people in much of the world flocked to see Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster film “Barbie” this summer, viewers in Russia were left out. At least officially.

Along with other studios, Warner Bros., the producer of “Barbie,” stopped releasing movies in Russia shortly after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. But that has not stopped Russian viewers from watching Western films. Last year, Russian theaters were openly screening illegal copies of “The Batman” and “Turning Red.”

“Barbie” has been no different, with movie theaters employing a workaround to give audiences access to the Western films they want to watch. Russian cinemas in cities large and small are offering viewers tickets for short films or documentaries, but these come with screenings of the full effervescent, bubble-gum pink “Barbie” film that technically plays during the previews slot.

At least 14 theaters in Moscow were openly offering such screenings on their websites on Wednesday, with tickets about 400 to 500 rubles, or $4 to $5.

The screenings are just one example of how Russians have been forced to improvise after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In the wake of the war, the West imposed a host of sanctions on Russia and companies fled the market. The Kremlin has also discouraged these screenings as Moscow seeks to paint an all-encompassing picture of an existential battle with the West.

Read full report: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/04/world/europe/barbie-russia-hollywood-ukraine-war.html?searchResultPosition=1