For Dubai visitor Anneliese, the release of the Barbie movie was the perfect opportunity for a “girls’ day out” with her cousin Chloe, even though she had seen it before. “I watched the film in Sri Lanka last week during my visit,” she shared with Khaleej Times while waiting for snacks at the Mall of the Emirates theater. “But when I arrived here and found out it was being released, I knew I had to see it again with her.”
Anneliese, a university student, noted how the movie seems to have fostered a sense of community among women. “In Sri Lanka, I saw men and women alike dressed in pink at the malls,” she recalled. “People were smiling and nodding at each other. Many of my friends in Ireland reported similar experiences. I’ve noticed this ‘Barbie bond’ here too; it feels like the film has crossed borders and united people.”
Chloe, still in school, expressed her excitement about watching the film with Anneliese. “Anneliese says I’ll love it,” she said eagerly. “I’m sure Margot Robbie will break stereotypes and deliver an amazing performance. I adore her, and I think it’s going to be fantastic.”
Brazilian visitor Val was also catching the movie for the second time. “I watched it while vacationing in Brazil, but it was in Spanish, and the translation didn’t do it justice. So, when it released in Dubai, I knew I had to see it again,” she said.
Dressed in a sparkling miniskirt, Val embodied the spirit of Barbie. She was at the theater with her parents, Maria and Murilo, sharing, “I made them pull out all their pink clothes to get into the mood for it.”
Val was eager to see the English version. “I loved the movie’s themes and want to experience them in English,” she said. “I’m also excited to watch it with my parents; I think they’ll enjoy it too.”
For school student Wendy, the chance to see the film with friends prompted her to return to the theater on opening day. “I watched it last month in the Philippines,” she said. “But when I heard it was releasing here, I wanted to watch it with my friends, so we all booked tickets together.”
Her friend Nicha added that she had shopped specifically for the occasion. “I didn’t have anything pink, so I made sure to buy something for this outing,” she said.
