Unveiling the Untold Power of Barbie: A Captivating Netflix Documentary by the Producers of Bridgerton

Summary

The Black Barbie documentary, coming to Netflix, explores the creation of the first Black Barbie and its cultural impact on representation and identity.

Lagueria Davis, the director of this documentary, has a deep personal connection to the subject matter. The film includes interviews with Mattel insiders, consumers, and cultural commentators.

Netflix acquiring this documentary is in line with the Barbie boom sparked by the success of Greta Gerwig's film. It serves as a continued exploration of how the doll relates to diversity and inclusion.

The Barbie phenomenon continues with the upcoming release of a Black Barbie documentary on Netflix. After the tremendous success of Greta Gerwig's Barbie movie, which took the world by storm and raked in an impressive $1.4 billion at the box office, the cultural frenzy surrounding Barbie shows no signs of slowing down. Building on this momentum, the Black Barbie documentary has garnered excellent reviews since its premiere at South by Southwest. Shondaland, the renowned production company led by Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers, has acquired the worldwide rights to the documentary. Shondaland, known for its hit series "Bridgerton" on Netflix, will bring the Black Barbie documentary to the streaming platform, although an official release date has yet to be announced.

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Everything We Know About Black Barbie

The Black Barbie documentary revolves around the origin of the inaugural Black Barbie doll, first introduced in 1980, a remarkable thirty years following the debut of the original Barbie in 1959. Highlighting the contributions of three remarkable Black women – Beulah Mae Mitchell, Kitty Black Perkins, and Stacey McBride Irby – who were employed at Mattel and wholeheartedly advocated for the creation of the Black Barbie, the film is directed by Lagueria Davis, Beulah Mae Mitchell's niece. Davis's personal connection to the subject matter serves as her gateway to crafting this insightful documentary.

The documentary tells the story of the creation of Black Barbie and its significant cultural impact. According to its official description, it explores the importance of representation and how dolls play a crucial role in forming identity and imagination. The film includes interviews with insiders from Mattel, consumers, cultural commentators, and historians. After its premiere at SXSW, Black Barbie received widespread acclaim and currently boasts a perfect rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Netflix acquiring the documentary aligns with the current Barbie frenzy sparked by Gerwig's highly successful movie. The streaming platform is capitalizing on this cultural moment. The Barbie movie features a diverse and multicultural cast, and the documentary shares a common theme with Gerwig's film, focusing on the doll's controversial reputation. Gerwig's movie had the tagline, "If you love Barbie, this movie is for you. If you hate Barbie, this movie is for you," while in the documentary, Davis boldly admits, "I hate dolls." Black Barbie should delve even deeper into the doll's connection to diversity and inclusivity, surpassing Gerwig's exploration.

Source: Netflix