Credit: Netflix
Netflix Movie Is So Controversial Thousands Canceled Their Subscriptions
A Netflix film was so controversial that thousands canceled their subscriptions in protest.
The movie, once embroiled in controversy – sparking legal action and reportedly leading to an 800% spike in subscription cancellations – has since left the platform.
Despite the uproar, the movie still managed to secure an 88% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The streaming giant, which has grown into one of the world’s largest entertainment platforms, has faced its share of challenges along the way.
Among the most notable was a French film that debuted in September 2020, inciting global outrage.
Directed by Maïmouna Doucouré, the movie tells the story of a young girls’ dance troupe and premiered earlier that year at the Sundance Film Festival.
While the film initially received critical acclaim, Netflix’s promotional campaign stirred controversy.
Critics accused the platform of using imagery that ‘sexualized children,’ propelling the movie into the center of a heated social media debate.
This backlash included widespread condemnation and even threats against Doucouré.
In response, Netflix publicly apologized, acknowledging that its choice of promotional artwork was ‘inappropriate.’
The movie in question, Cuties (Mignonnes in French), follows the story of Amy, a Senegalese-French girl from a traditional Muslim household.
Seeking freedom from her restrictive upbringing, she joins a dance crew that practices suggestive routines, ultimately exposing her to the perils of an overly sexualized online culture.
The director, Doucouré, shared with TIME that the film was inspired by her own experiences.
She explained: “For me, this film is sounding an alarm. This film tries to show that our children should have the time to be children, and we as adults should protect their innocence and keep them innocent as long as possible.”
Despite its intended message as a critique of child exploitation, Cuties faced intense backlash.
Many believed that scenes featuring the young actresses performing provocative dance moves contributed to the very issue the film sought to critique.
Public outrage reached a peak in the days following the movie’s addition to Netflix, with subscription cancellations skyrocketing to a ‘multiyear high,’ according to analytics from YipitData reported by Variety.
Adding to the controversy, a grand jury in Tyler County, Texas, indicted Netflix on charges of promoting lewd content involving minors.
The indictment alleged that the film displayed ‘lewd exhibition of the genitals or pubic area’ of a minor ‘without serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.’
Netflix, however, defended the movie, describing it as: “a social commentary against the sexualization of young children.”
The case and its subsequent appeal were ultimately dismissed.
Although Cuties remained a contentious topic, it received positive reviews from critics, earning an 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Reviewers described it as a poignant exploration of girlhood in the modern era, tackling complex themes with nuance and depth.
The film stayed on Netflix until September 2024, when it was removed – not due to backlash but because the platform’s four-year licensing agreement expired.
While Netflix occasionally renews licenses for certain titles, it chose not to do so for Cuties.
Despite its polarizing reception, the film garnered both criticism and praise, with public figures like actor Tessa Thompson expressing support.
Thompson, who watched the film at Sundance, called it ‘beautiful’ and lamented the discourse surrounding it.
She stated: “The film comments on the hyper-sexualization of preadolescent girls. Disappointed to see the current discourse. Disappointed to see how it was positioned in terms of marketing. I understand the response of everybody. But it doesn’t speak to the film I saw.”
Watch the trailer for Cuties here…
Cuties is available to rent on Apple TV.
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