#CANCEL NETFLIX CAMPAIGN : HEATS UP

 

Thousands of people have launched a call to boycott Netflix on Thursday over the French film Migonnes, known as Cuties in English, angry that its young stars were portrayed in a sexualised way, reported AFP.

The film is directed by French-Sengalese director Maimouna Doucoure and started streaming on September 9.

More than 200,000 tweets with the '' #CancelNetflix'' became the top trending topic on the micro-blogging website Twitter  a day later.

A first wave of criticism, in August, led Netflix to withdraw ''inappropriate'' artwork used to promote the film, which was released in theaters that month in France.

Netflix also apologised for having used ''inappropriate'' images.

But last week  broader opposition to some of the imagery began coming to from across the political spectrum in the United States. DeAnna Lorraine, a former Republican candidate for Congress from California, tweeted that, ''Child pornography is illegal in America.''

Another Republican from the state Beatrice Cardenas added, ''As the mother of an eight-year old girl, I STRONGLY #CancelNetflix.

Among the voices praising the film, on the other hand, were American star Tessa Thompson of Creed and Avengers.; Endgame Fame, who found it ''beautiful.'' She said, ''It gutted me at Sundance Film Festival! It introduces a fresh voice at the helm.

She's a French Senegalese black woman mining her experiences. The film comments on the hyper-sexulaisation of perdolescent girls.

Disappointed to see the current discourse. Disappointed to see how it was positioned in terms of  marketing. I understand the response from everybody. But it doesn't speak to the film I saw.''

A Netflix spokesperson said, ''Cuties is a social commentary against the sexualisation 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, while growing up, and we'd encourage anyone who came about these important issues to watch the film.''

The World Students Society thanks News Desk : The Express Tribune.