A Russian theater director screened a pirated copy of Barbie to thousands of fans, although it was not shown in that country due to the war in Ukraine.
Vladimir Tikhonenko, 21, aired a scam version of the Hollywood blockbuster on two screens in Tyumen, Siberia last month.
He also organized “Barbieland” parties on the roofs with DJs, yoga sessions and lectures on the “Barbie philosophy”.
Tikhonenko is releasing the film at great risk, as the Russian state frequently censors Western media and would likely view his actions as subversive.
Barbie, as well as Oppenheimer, were not released in Russia by Hollywood production companies in protest against Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Vladimir Tikhonenko, 21, aired a scam version of the Hollywood blockbuster on two screens in Tyumen, Siberia last month.
But Tikhonenko told DailyMail.com he was among those still screening the film, with more than 70 viewers in recent weeks.
He said: “The primary versions are now all over the internet and we have them all. There wasn’t a good enough copy of Barbie when it was released in July.
Tikhonenko removed advertisements for the best version he could find among all the poor quality pirated copies in theaters outside of Russia.
The copy he screened also featured a Russian dub, hinting that it might be from a Russian-speaking region.
Russians have been able to watch Western films despite the withdrawal of major producers – such as Warner Brothers, Disney and Paramount – from the country because of the war.
He also organized “Barbieland” parties on the roofs with DJs, yoga sessions and lectures on the “Barbie philosophy”.
Russian cinemas sold tickets for little-known Russian documentaries and screenings of totally different films. This meant that they circumvent copyright laws and Russian laws that require government distribution certificates.
Most copies arrived from Kazakhstan, among other Russian-speaking markets.
Russian cinemas sold tickets for little-known Russian documentaries and screenings of totally different films.
This means they circumvented copyright laws and Russian laws that require government distribution certificates, the Financial Times reported.
Tikhonenko said he was not worried about censorship or copyright issues. Its cinemas were small in size and only screened movies on the roof in the summer.
“The government didn’t pay attention to us, thankfully and hopefully,” he said.
He also organized last week the biggest event of the year in his region, called “Barbieland”. It included a DJ, yoga, a lecture on the “Barbie philosophy” and a screening of the film.
Excited Barbie fans donned different shades of pink while enjoying pizza and a beer while watching the hit.
He also organized last week the biggest event of the year in his region, called “Barbieland”. It included a DJ, yoga, a lecture on the “Barbie philosophy” and a screening of the film.
Russian film critic Ilya Dolenko slammed the Tyumen screening of “Barbie” for its “sh***y” dubbing and pop-up gambling ads, The Moscow Times reported.
Tikhonenko added: “Everyone was having fun, dancing and taking pictures. The atmosphere was great and exciting.
Russian film critic Ilya Dolenko slammed the Tyumen screening of “Barbie” for its “sh***y” dubbing and pop-up gambling ads, The Moscow Times reported.
But Tikhonenko replied: “It’s wrong because this film critic is from Moscow.
“He was not present at our first screening and everyone who attended our events can prove it.”
But it was criticized by some, with critics blaming it for the terrible quality of its prints, while others attacked it for airing the film.
Meanwhile, Russian MP Maria Butina, who was convicted and imprisoned in the United States for acting as an unregistered foreign agent, has called for Barbie to be banned.
“What do we see in the film? The gays. Trans people. Women who conquered the world.
“Nothing about union between men and women, nothing about love,” she told Russian television channel Duma.
Tikhonenko said he was aware of the criticism, but said: “What can we do when we live in such a reality? We just want to have fun and see the movie.
