Netflix issued an apology on Thursday after thousands demanded the immediate removal of the controversial French film Cuties from the streaming platform.
A french movie, about an 11-year-old who fights with her family to join a free-spirited dance crew, has been called out in an online campaign for sexualising young girls. Originally titled Mignonnes, Cuties, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won a jury award for directing.
Netizens are calling out the Cuties movie poster- which shows four young stars posing in costumes baring their legs and midriffs. Netflix issued an apology for its promotional material but didn't announce anything regarding taking down the film which is set to debut globally on September 9.
A campaign to delete the title started on Change.org and sought too many signatures which led to Netflix’s apology. But it did not go over well with those who are demanding the ban for the film and are of the opinion that alteration in the poster is not enough.
We're deeply sorry for the inappropriate artwork that we used for Mignonnes/Cuties. It was not OK, nor was it representative of this French film which won an award at Sundance. We’ve now updated the pictures and description.
— Netflix (@netflix) August 20, 2020
Check out how netizens expressed their anger:
I just found a trailer for the movie "Cuties" on Netflix and the blatant sexualization of young girls is DISGUSTING. No one wants to see their child dressed and posed like this. WHY IS NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT THIS? #cuties @netflix pic.twitter.com/a4rWey3cuj
— Avery (@ayyverty) August 19, 2020
Bye @netflix! When you stop promoting offensive garbage like #Cuties and #BigMouth on your platform, I’ll consider re-subscribing. #CancelNetflix pic.twitter.com/pgicqql82t
— Wade Williams 🇺🇸 (@Wade_Says) August 20, 2020
It looks like this is blatantly sexualizing kids. Right? @netflix #cuties
— Stijn Kat (@KatStijn) August 18, 2020
Maybe let kids be kids. pic.twitter.com/Ka8c9u0K3X
I am supportive of the arts.
— Eliza (@elizableu) August 20, 2020
I want the stars of @netflix #cuties to reach for every star in the sky. 🌟
That being said, I can not support allowing children to be portrayed in a way that is overly sexualized. pic.twitter.com/QsrqSxSwXw
So #Cuties has sexualised 11 year olds to the point where Netflix has to limit it to a TV-MA rating (mature audiences only). The idea that this film features children and yet it is designed to entertain an adult gaze is truly disturbing. Fix up @netflix #NetflixPedofilia pic.twitter.com/Wus3miDTnn
— Yasmin Al-najar✨💕 (@YasminAlnajar97) August 20, 2020
If you tell me how awesome #Cuties is on @netflix I’m going to immediately assume you’re a pedophile.
— Ådâm Röūtės (@turbo_mehico) August 19, 2020
Any moment now people are going to start saying stuff like "if you think it's sexualized maybe you are the sick one".
— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐔𝐬 (@therestofus5) August 20, 2020
This is what predators do. They make you doubt yourself.
This is how they convinced you that sex work is work and that women's boundaries are "bigotry"#Cuties pic.twitter.com/7owibKFtMn
We don’t care if it won an award! It doesn’t make it ok if the people in Sundance are pedophiles! #Cuties pic.twitter.com/9RUIJShlhl
— م. لون 🌙✨ (@TheMoonWithin) August 20, 2020
As an uncle to eleven and eight year old nieces, I find this poster in remarkably bad taste. It’s absurd and just plain gross advertising. @netflix #cuties pic.twitter.com/xVeliV6nj1
— silveracious (@silveracious) August 20, 2020
Call me old fashioned, but saying "hey, the pedo's at #Sundance really really liked it" just isn't good enough. #NetflixPedofilia #Cuties pic.twitter.com/GojGehVH9X
— Ashor DeKelaita (@AshorDeKelaita) August 20, 2020
WTF @Netflix? TV-MA? There’s nothing ok about this. #Cuties pic.twitter.com/C0I9xhERNh
— Matthew SNOWFLAKE❄️AF🤘😝🤘 (@mshalk) August 19, 2020