Netflix’s controversial film “Cuties” led to the hashtag #CancelNetflix trending on social media on Thursday, but CNN opted not to ask the streaming giant’s chief executive about it when given the chance.
“Cuties” focuses on a group of 11-year-old girls who form a twerking dance group, much to the chagrin of one character’s very conservative Senegalese family.
Netflix previously apologized after the poster for the French film showed the underage cast posing in a sexual manner. Now, there’s renewed criticism over the movie, which premiered at Sundance.
‘CUTIES’ MOVIE SPAWNS TRENDING HASHTAG #CANCELNETFLIX
Netflix is catching backlash for its film ‘Cuties.’ (Netflix)
After a video came out showing a dance scene from the movie, which puts a spotlight on the underage girls’ provocative dance moves, many critics immediately took to social media demanding people cancel Netflix over the film’s content.
Grabien Media founder Tom Elliot noticed that CNN’s Poppy Harlow landed a 10-minute interview with Netflix CEO Reed Hastings on Thursday but didn’t bother to ask about the controversial film.
Instead, Harlow asked Hastings about his marriage, Netflix pulling an episode of “Patriot Act” from the streaming service in Saudi Arabia, diversity at the company, investing in Black-owned businesses, working from home amid coronavirus and his new book.
PETITION DEMANDS NETFLIX REMOVE FRENCH FILM ACCUSED OF SEXUALIZING YOUNG GIRLS
Meanwhile, a Change.org petition has garnered more than 598,700 signatures calling for people to cancel their Netflix subscriptions in light of “Cuties” being added to its library of content.
EVERYTHING COMING TO AND LEAVING NETFLIX IN SEPTEMBER 2020
The backlash against “Cuties” began last month when Netflix started ramping up promotion for its U.S. release at the same time the film premiered overseas. The streaming giant’s U.S. promotional poster showed four pre-teen girls striking dance poses that led to more than 20,000 people signing a petition demanding Netflix remove the film.
Several shocked Twitter users deemed the poster “revealing” and claimed it was guilty of “explicitly sexualizing” the girls, who reportedly portray 11-year-olds in the film. The pile-on resulted in the film receiving a bad rap despite Netflix issuing an apology to confirm it was not representative of the movie’s message.
“We’re deeply sorry for the inappropriate artwork that we used for Mignonnes/Cuties,” a Netflix spokesperson told FOX Business 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.”