“Cuties” has stirred up heated backlash against US streaming agent, Netflix.
The film features a young Senegalese girl and other children sexualised with twerks, touching themselves inappropriately and mimicking porn gestures.
#CancelNetflix became a hashtag that trended tops on Twitter on Friday. This is sequel to the controversial award-winning French movie debuting on the Netflix platform on Thursday.
Change.org soon followed calling on subscribers to withdraw their subscriptions or cancel Netflix packages completely. Part of the platform’s petition includes claims that the movie “exploits children and creates a disturbing vibe.”
It adds that “as Netflix has chosen to ignore the petition and the wishes of its customers, I feel we need to ban it altogether and cancel out subscriptions.”
The petition was signed by over 600,000 people.
James Bradly, US Politician cautioned via twitter that, “if you watch 11-year olds twerk, you’re a pervert. If you direct 11-year olds to touch themselves on camera, you’re a pedophile. If you support Netflix making and airing #Cuties, you’re enabling abuse.”
“Cuties” was written and directed by a French Film-maker, Maimouna Doucoure. It first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2019 winning the World Cinema Dramatic Directing Award.
The short film is based on another film by Doucoure, “Maman(s). It tells the story of a an 8-year old Senegales immigrant who became furious with her polygamous father for inviting a new bride into their Paris home.
Another advocacy group, the Parents Television Council (PTC) petitioned the provocative sexualised twerks, skimpy clothing and vulgar language that the young girls were trained to indulge in.
The council added that one of the girls even pulled down her underwear, baring her genitals to be photographed and posted online. The little girl’s role included seducing a family member to get out of trouble for stealing.
Melissa Henson, Program Director for PTC said that “Netflix might actually have made the situation worse by suggesting that “Cuties is nothing more than a cute, coming-of-age movie.
“Although the film tackles and important topic, one that under different circumstances we might even applaud, it’s the way the film goes about it that is problematic.”
Notwithstanding, protests continue to mount on the Justice Department to take legal action against the streaming agent:
Former President Barack Obama and Condoleeza Rice have been called out for not speaking out against the obscene movie.
A Netflix spokesperson is quoted by ‘Variety’ as saying that “Cuties is a social commentary against the sexualization of young children. It’s an award-winning film and a powerful story about the pressure young girls face on social media and the society more generally growing up and we’d encourage anyone who cares about these important issues to watch the movie.
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The #Cuties outrage