Netflix and Shondaland have acquired Black Barbie: A Documentary. The film is directed by Lagueria Davis. Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers executive produce the movie as part of their overall deal with Netflix.
Black Barbie celebrates the impact three Black women at Mattel had on the evolution of the Barbie brand. The documentary tells the story of how the first Black Barbie came to be in 1980, examining the importance of representation and how dolls can be crucial to the formation of identity and imagination.
One of the three women, Beulah Mae Mitchell, who spent 45 years at Mattel, is the aunt of director Davis.
Black Barbie had its world premiere at SXSW in March, which Netflix said involved “a work-in-progress cut of the film.”
“Telling Black Barbie's story has been such a personal journey and it warms my heart to celebrate the legacy of my aunt Beulah Mae Mitchell, Kitty Black Perkins and Stacey McBride Irby in our film,” Davis said. “We couldn't have asked for better collaborators than Shondaland and Netflix to bring this story to the world.”
The film’s producers are Aaliyah Williams for Just A Rebel and Lagueria Davis for Lovely Day Films. Executive producing with the Shondaland pair are Grace Lay and Sumalee Montano for LinLay Productions, Camilla Hall for Lady & Bird Films and Milan Chakraborty and Jyoti Sarda.
RogerEbert.com called the film “a must see.”
“Vivid colors, thorough data analysis and interviews, and an unblemished storyline anchor the film,” the review said.
The Hollywood Reporter said the film is guilty of “information overload,” which “ultimately weighs down the doc, which needed a sharper focus to truly soar.”
Greta Gerwig directed the 2023 film Barbie, which has grossed well over $1 billion.
