The controversial French film "Cuties" received major backlash for its overly sexual plotline and use of minors.
Netizens are also furious that former President Barack Obama, former First Lady Michelle Obama and the royal couple Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stay silent amid the controversy.
Controversial film
Thousands of people have signed petitions to boycott Netflix and cancel their subscriptions on September 10 after the streaming giant released "Mignonnes", also known as "Cuties."
The public is angry that its young actresses, all 11-year-old girls, were portrayed in a very sexual way, with provocative dances and R-rated dialogues, as reported by The Verge.
The French film is directed by French-Senegalese director Maimouna Doucoure, and it is her very first film. Netflix picked up the film on September 9 and immediately the hashtag #CancelNetflix became the trending topic, with more than 200,000 tweets.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle both signed a deal worth $150 million with Netflix earlier this year. The former Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who have never produced a TV show, will make films, documentaries and kids' programs.
Meanwhile, former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama also entered a producing partnership with Netflix. In 2018, the couple said that they would work with Netflix under a contract with an undisclosed amount.
Neither couple has spoken about the controversial film, and their silence sparked criticism online. Netizens pointed out that both couples have contracts with Netflix, and if they really want to use their influence for good, they will tell the streaming service to "drop the film."
Taking the movie to court
The first wave of criticism against the movie began in August when Netflix dropped the inappropriate and provocative poster of the movie. Netflix has since apologized for the poster, according to Slate Magazine.
However, Netflix still released the movie, and the politicians were quick on pointing out its context. A former Republican candidate for Congress from California, DeAnna Lorraine, posted on Twitter that child pornography is illegal in America.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz wrote a letter to the Department of Justice demanding a probe into the film, calling it "child porn. Another Republican politician, Omar Navarro, tweeted that the sexualization of minors is "disgusting" and that it is "morally and ethically reprehensible."
Senator Cruz waded into the debate around the film on September 13 tweeting a letter that he said he sent to the DOJ calling for an investigation.
In the letter, addressed directly to Attorney General Bill Barr, Senator Cruz criticized the film saying it sexualizes young girls and showcases dance scenes that simulate sexual activities. He added that the film features partial child nudity and exposes a minor's bare breast.
Senator Cruz wrote that the film fetishizes and sexualizes pre-adolescent girls as they perform dances simulating sexual conduct in revealing clothing, including "at least one scene with partial child nudity." He added that the scenes are harmful.
The senator also warned that the film would be used by pedophiles in abusive ways and said that he feared the production of the film involved even more "explicit and abusive scenes."
The controversial movie, which received a director's award at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival, is about the protagonist Amy, an 11-year-old Parisian who must follow the strict rules of her Senegalese family while trying to fit in on the social media trend.
Amy joins a dance group formed by three other girls from her school, and their choreographies are very sexual. The film also showed how the girls talked about sex, how they watched porn and it also showed one girl playing with a condom.
Netflix has responded to the criticisms but said that they do not have plans to take down the movie from the streaming service just yet.
