Netflix defended the widely condemned film, Cuties, available on its streaming service after critics said it promoted sexual exploitation of children.
On Thursday, the entertainment streaming company said the French film, which also goes by the title Mignonnes, was a “powerful story” that actually criticizes sexualization of young children, though it on multiple occasions shows young girls dancing in provocative ways.
“Cuties is a social commentary against the sexualization of young children,” Netflix said in a statement to Fox News. “It’s an award winning film and a powerful story about the pressure young girls face on social media and from society more generally growing up — and we’d encourage anyone who cares about these important issues to watch the movie.”
The film, which Netflix describes as an 11-year-old girl rebelling “against her conservative family’s traditions when she becomes fascinated with a free-spirited dance crew,” received extraordinarily negative reactions from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes, but high marks from theater critics. #CancelNetflix began trending on Twitter for the entirety of Thursday.
As of Thursday night, a petition on Change.org asking Netflix users to cancel their subscriptions accumulated over 604,000 thousand signatures toward its goal of 1 million.
“Please make the choice to prove to Netflix our children are more valuable than our entertainment, and our money is better spent else where!” wrote Kelsi Swift, who started the petition.
Netflix apologized earlier this summer after a poster teasing the film showed young girls under-clothed.
“We’re deeply sorry for the inappropriate artwork that we used for Mignonnes/Cuties,” a Netflix spokesperson said in a statement at the time. “It was not OK, nor was it representative of this French film which premiered at Sundance. We’ve now updated the pictures and description.”
The film’s director Maimouna Doucoure told Deadline she received “numerous death threats” after the poster was released and said she is against the hypersexualization of children.
“I received numerous attacks on my character from people who had not seen the film, who thought I was actually making a film that was apologetic about hypersexualization of children,” she said.
BREAKING:
As divided as we are….I think we ALL can agree that sexualizing our children is abhorrent and @netflix should have to answer for promoting pedophilia on their platform!!
TAKE IT DOWN NOW!!
RT!
— Graham Allen (@GrahamAllen_1) September 10, 2020
Anyone who cares about protecting the safety and innocence of children, should reconsider your @netflix subscription. It makes money by programming for pedophiles. Demented trash. https://t.co/pLTIWVFxfS
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) September 10, 2020
Making a movie that actually exposes and criticizes the sexual exploitation of children is a great idea. But there is obviously no reason why that movie must include crotch shots of barely clothes 11-year-olds. This should not need to be explained. #CancelNetflix
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) September 10, 2020
They can’t call it killing babies so they call it women’s healthcare.
They can’t call it looting so they call it reparations.
They can’t call it pedophilia so they call it “Cuties.”
— Emerald Robinson ✝️ (@EmeraldRobinson) September 10, 2020
Democrat blue checks are currently arguing that denouncing pedophilia is a right-wing talking point.
They might be in for a shock when they see how that goes for them.
— Kelb Hull (@CalebJHull) September 10, 2020
Opposing pedophilia is officially a right wing position. pic.twitter.com/cwD1sKIDtm
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) September 10, 2020
So, I thought the Cuties/Netflix thing was being sensationalized… but the IMDB trigger warning literally describes “female breast nudity of a minor(!!!)”
If you had that on your computer, you’re going to jail. If it’s on Netflix, it’s art??? pic.twitter.com/0eu8dZDX5j
— Cabot Phillips (@cabot_phillips) September 10, 2020
The film Cuties is disgusting, but what’s even more disappointing are the number of people defending it.
“Well ackshully, I thought the movie was entertaining, so I’m gonna give them a pass for sexually exploiting 11 year-olds.”
You’re enabling pedophilia. Period.
— Lauren Chen (@TheLaurenChen) September 10, 2020
The goal is to sexualize your children and legitimize pedophilia. They’re doing it through entertainment, through sex ed at public schools, & through legislation (see CA). I wish I were exaggerating.
— Allie Beth Stuckey (@conservmillen) September 10, 2020
Netflix is normalizing pedophilia and the exploitation of children. I know you love your shows and movies but they’re not more important than us all protecting our children. It’s time to #CancelNetflix and send a message. Pedophilia will NOT be normalized in America.
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) September 10, 2020
Of all the hills to die on @netflix chooses pedophilia https://t.co/haSwb8KpSX
— PragerU (@prageru) September 11, 2020
