"Cuties" director Maïmouna Doucouré is standing by her controversial Netflix film, which has been criticized by multiple politicians and many online for sexualizing young girls.
In a virtual panel discussion with uniFrance on Monday, she said the film was intended to "sound an alarm," noting that "hyper-sexualization of our children is everywhere" thanks to social media.
"It's feminist, but it's so important and necessary to create debate and try to find solutions all together," she said. "Watch the film and understand that we have the same fight."
In a news release on Monday, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., criticized the award-winning French film the same day he introduced legislation in Congress to "ban the sale of lifelike child sex dolls used by pedophiles."
“We need to stop catering to predators and start paying more attention to protecting children,” Buchanan said in the release. “A film that shows girls as young as 11 engaging in highly sexualized dance routines is inappropriate. I support artistic expression in film but this is exploitative, dangerous and borders on child pornography.”
Backlash began when the film's artwork debuted in late August and drew criticism on social media for showing the film's cast of children in midriff-baring uniforms and short shorts striking various dance poses. Netflix issued an apology for the "inappropriate" image promoting the film, which follows 11-year-old Amy's struggle to find her identity amid contrasting cultures.
A day after the film debuted on the streaming service, the hashtags #CancelNetflix and #BoycottNetflix were trending on social media, and a petition sprang up calling for "Cuties" to be removed.
Following the film's release, Netflix responded to the criticism in a statement provided to USA TODAY Friday: "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 from society more generally growing up – and we'd encourage anyone who cares about these important issues to watch the movie."
Buchanan argues that the film could have made the point "without placing these minors in sexually suggestive poses and situations."
“You can’t say you’re making a movie that explores the topic of sexual exploitation of children by then sexually exploiting children," he added.
Buchanan isn't the only person in the political sphere to weigh in.
On Sunday, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Tex., doubled down on his criticism of the movie.
" 'Cuties' sexualizes 11-year-old girls, and it’s disgusting and wrong. That’s why I’ve asked AG Barr to investigate whether Netflix, its executives, or the filmmakers violated any federal laws against the production and distribution of child pornography," Cruz tweeted Sunday, along with video of his remarks about the film on Fox News.
Earlier, U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., questioned in a letter to Netflix CEO Reed Hastings why the platform is airing a film "depicting children being coached to engage in simulated sexual acts." U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., has also spoken out against Netflix on Twitter.
Netflix subscribers who watched the film have also taken to social media to share their thoughts.
User @cheetukun tweeted, "Just watched the Cuties Netflix movie and it’s seriously not that bad. The internet be over exaggerating. Person shrugging"
Twitter user @justsomeguycc wrote, "So... I watched Cuties. It's not what people think. Most of the of the scenes make sense in context, except for the ending dance scene. It's supposed to make you uncomfortable, and it does, but it's shot like W.A.P., so it ironically does the thing it's criticizing."
User @YasMohammedxx wrote, "Ok I watched #Cuties, so now I can give my informed opinion. It’s an incredibly powerful movie w some really important themes. I also think the msgs could‘ve definitely been achieved without the excessive dancing scenes. It would’ve still come across clearly w way less"
User @weisenbutchfeld tweeted, "so i watched cuties. let's start off by saying that it is the worse thing i have ever seen, and it deserves all of the negative attention that it's getting."
User @iKromatica wrote, "Just watched the Movie "Cuties" on Netflix and its disgusting, distasteful and really more like a porn. Just don't watch it."
Contributing: Carly Mallenbaum, Cydney Henderson, Morgan Hines, Kim Willis and Charles Trepany
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