TW "Cuties" - Netflix film about an 11-year old twerking dance crew

[TBHno]

I haven't seen the film, but the poster and blurb makes me want to vomit

www.thehollywoodnews.com/2020/08/18/trailer-for-netflixs-cuties-a-film-about-an-11-year-old-who-joins-a-free-spirited-dance-clique/

Those images are so wrong, its about 11 yr old girls but is licenced at age 16 plus???

There is a petition to have it removed from Netflix.

Sensual? For a group of children? Wrong wrong wrong.

www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tVP1zc0zDJKSy8rsDQzYPTizM1Mz8vPy0stBgBn6AhP&q=mignonnes&oq=mig&aqs=chrome.1.69i59j46j69i57j0.2017j0j7&client=ms-android-samsung-gj-rev1&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#imgrc=kszQuK9Zisxm4M

Sounds like a good film just oddly marketed by netflix.

Cuties (French: Mignonnes) is a French teen coming-of-age comedy drama film written and directed by Maïmouna Doucouré on her feature film directorial debut.[1] The film stars Fathia Youssouf, Médina El Aidi-Azouni and Maïmouna Gueye in the lead roles. The film is based on a traditional Senegalese Muslim girl who is caught and torn between two contrasting fortunes, traditional values and internet culture while also speaking about hyper sexualization of pre-adolescent girls.[2][3] The plot of the film also drew comparisons resembling similar to few prominent films such as The Fits, a 2015 American drama film directed by Anna Rose Holmer, 2019 French-Senegalese drama film Atlantics directed by Mati Diop and Girlhood, a 2014 French drama film directed by Céline Sciamma.[4] The film was premiered in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition sector of 2020 Sundance Film Festival on 23 January 2020 and won the Directing Jury Award praising the script of the film.[5][6][7]

There’s so much wrong with that photo, I don’t know where to start. It’s like a parrverts wank poster. 🤢

Perverts

The film is based on a traditional Senegalese Muslim girl who is caught and torn between two contrasting fortunes, traditional values and internet culture while also speaking about hyper sexualization of pre-adolescent girls.[2][3]

I'm confused, then, as to why the poster and other promotional shots are so sexualised. Seems rather misleading/counter-productive, so say the least.

There might be a mismatch between what the film is about and the particular image chosen to publicise it:

twitter.com/glosswitch/status/1296238457099030531

Bizarre. I saw the promotional image and assumed it was a dance moms / honey boo boo type documentary

Just watched the trailer. Wish I hadn’t.

This is what happens with Lolita (a book I hate although I’m prepared to accept it has literary merit). It’s all supposed to be about the corruption of Humbert but it’s always illustrated with highly sexualised images of a pre teen girl. Because no one really wants to read about a creepy old perv. They want images of Lolita sucking on a lollipop.

This is what happens with Lolita (a book I hate although I’m prepared to accept it has literary merit). It’s all supposed to be about the corruption of Humbert but it’s always illustrated with highly sexualised images of a pre teen girl. Because no one really wants to read about a creepy old perv. They want images of Lolita sucking on a lollipop.

Totally with you, on this. Meant to be so dark and interesting and then you grow up and understand it's just a tale of child sex abuse actually. It's definitely gone in my boy shit category (the stuff we are told is culturally significant or high art and is just the male gaze - see most of Tarantino's output).

The trailer is disturbing...

Reading the article linked on glosswitch's tweet, it seems a really interesting film directed and written by a young black female French director. I feel like she's been really let down by the marketing of this film on Netflix. The original French poster looks very different.

www.screendaily.com/features/director-maimouna-doucoure-reveals-the-shocking-inspiration-behind-sundance-drama-cuties/5146481.article#.Xz2_cDV2RBM.twitter

I came on to see if this was mentioned. An advert from IMDB came up on my FB page and from the comments below the overall reaction is horrified. There are already a couple of petitions about it. Also a few "oh
great, another film saying one culture is bad and repressive and the other one good and fun" comments. Hope the link works, if not it's IMDB on Facebook.

m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10159098821933949&id=15925638948

I feel really sorry for artists especially women. It's the same with marketing books and the covers chosen. Either marketing as a profession should get an ethical code or artist's should have a veto.

The thing is, this is how a lot of kids at dance competitions will be dressing and they copy the dance style of the day, which, unfortunately, might include twerking. I hate seeing kids dressed like this but I am aware that I am projecting an adult mindset onto it - the kids just like the clothes and think they look cool and like pop stars, the vast majority won't grasp the sexualised aspect or be aware of the risk they face from paedophiles. That's the sad part, that it's not ok for children to wear what they want, or (for younger kids more I guess) nothing, or copy dance routines, however unsavoury, because some adults make it unsafe for them.

There is also the consent issue, as with all child actors, and whether they can actually give informed consent to such a film or will they regret it later. I don't think they are old enough to watch it, with the rating, but that's the same for a lot of child actor such as those in horror films.

There seems to be a disconnect between the actual film and how it is being sold on Netflix.

The marketing appears to be very, very, irresponsible.

There are ways to tell the story that society sexualises young girls, without actually sexualising young girls while doing so. This is not a film by 11 year olds for 11 year olds. It’s the bodies of 11 year olds being used as entertainment for adults.

@Scout2016

The thing is, this is how a lot of kids at dance competitions will be dressing and they copy the dance style of the day, which, unfortunately, might include twerking. I hate seeing kids dressed like this but I am aware that I am projecting an adult mindset onto it - the kids just like the clothes and think they look cool and like pop stars, the vast majority won't grasp the sexualised aspect or be aware of the risk they face from paedophiles. That's the sad part, that it's not ok for children to wear what they want, or (for younger kids more I guess) nothing, or copy dance routines, however unsavoury, because some adults make it unsafe for them.

Just because sexualised dance moves are popular, (and that’s nothing new) doesn’t mean that children’s dance groups should be encouraged to do them in competitions. It’s generally adults that are making the decisions on their dance moves and costumes and I think that they often go overboard. Of course anyone who objects will be called disgusting and told that theirs something wrong with their thinking if they see this as the sexualisation of children.

*there’s ..

I very much agree in instances where there is adult involvement and promotion of this. Where they chose the costumes and teach the moves. I was thinking more of cases where kids are self taught and copying off whatever the equivalent of MTV is now and then buying what clothes are, unfortunately, readily available in the shops.

Those poor girls. This photo will haunt them for life.