
Netflix, Accused of Sexualizing Girls, Pulls Artwork for ‘Cuties’ - tempsy
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/21/movies/netflix-cuties.html
======
geden
Also in the Guardian.

[https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/aug/21/cuties-
netflix-...](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/aug/21/cuties-netflix-film-
fury)

The irony being that the first time director is a black woman.

Threatening the ability to be subtle in art. Not a new thing - see Chris
Morris 'Paedogeddon'
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9frVTgoKSI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9frVTgoKSI)

Hope folks wake up to the manipulation going on here fairly sharpish.

------
bleah1000
It's pretty clear that the artwork and the initial description of this movie
was really disgusting. Regardless of the actual content of the movie, it seems
like someone at Netflix might need to be visited by Chris Hanson if they
thought that picture was appropriate. I think some of the outrage is that this
movie seemed to be marketed to children/families, which makes the idea that
the movie is criticizing the over-sexualization of children particularly
ironic.

I also think that some of the backlash is that if you are criticizing
sexualizing children, do you need to sexualize children? I haven't seen the
movie, so this might be a great critique, but if it includes lots of kids in
really inappropriate situations and clothes, it would make the message of the
movie feel a bit hollow. Even in the times article, it mentions that there are
going to be scenes of these 11 year old girls twerking. Are the scenes
designed to shock, maybe, but it would make me feel very uncomfortable
because, regardless of what they intended, in the end, the movie is actually
sexualizing children.

~~~
GaryNumanVevo
The writer / director is a Senegalese French woman who draws on her own
experiences with the culture shock of hypersexualization of kids her age in
contrast to her conservative Muslim upbringing.

The original screening at Sundance was well received, and the original
marketing was a complete 180 from Netflix’s. That being said this smells of
outrage marketing on Netflix’s behalf, albeit in very poor taste.

------
aaron695
Wow, this is Qanon, didn't see that coming.

The frontpage of Reddit got sucked into this and a quite a few commentators.

I have to admit, it was a change to see the Left being morally outraged,
compared to 25 years ago when they defended movies like Kids against the
conservatives, things the Left should be proud to had done.

I think they are so used to following what insanity they are told is 'woke'
this week, Qanon played them quite easily.

~~~
nix23
>defended movies like Kids against the conservatives

Ahh, that movie that shows that rape is bad and HIV is a real problem?

~~~
aaron695
Dam, WaPo didn't, there goes my theory the Left have always defended art and
culture. Unless WaPo was more conservative back then.

"Kids," a disturbingly voyeuristic look at adolescent promiscuity, is
virtually child pornography disguised as a cautionary documentary.

[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
srv/style/longterm/movies/...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/kidsnrkempley_c029f5.htm)

~~~
nix23
>is virtually child pornography disguised as a cautionary documentary

Ah damn, and we watched the movie with our teacher. Maybe the US is just
different, having Cheerleaders with miniskirts and dancing like at Moulin
Rouge that's ok, and children beauty contest (mostly in the conservative
states)...no problem, but watching a disturbing and disgusting story like in
Kids is called "child pornography".

BTW, i like that critic much more:

[https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/23/fashion/kids-20th-
anniver...](https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/23/fashion/kids-20th-anniversary-
chloe-sevigny-rosario-dawson.html)

