The most WTF moments from Netflix’s new movie ‘Cuties’
Netflix drew sharp criticism in 2020 for its handling of the French coming-of-age drama Cuties. The story follows a Senegalese immigrant girl in Paris who joins a competitive dance group to escape tensions at home, yet early marketing materials sparked widespread accusations that the film itself was exploiting its young cast.
A leaked clip of the girls performing a suggestive routine on stage fueled the outrage. Conservative commentator Mary Margaret Olohan shared the footage on Twitter and argued that the platform had crossed a line by promoting material that placed children in an overtly sexualized frame.
Promotional backlash
The Parents Television Council compiled a list of scenes it found objectionable, citing repeated sequences in which the characters execute highly sexualized choreography and use crude language. The group also flagged the fact that the performers, mostly preteens, spend much of the runtime in revealing outfits. One sequence shows the central character photographing her own body in an explicit manner after attempting to flirt with an adult relative to avoid punishment for theft.
Inappropriate sexuality
PTC program director Melissa Henson issued a statement noting that Netflix’s decision to swap the original poster for a milder version only heightened confusion. She argued that the new artwork implied the film was a lighthearted story when its actual content dealt with the sexualization of children in ways the council found troubling. Henson maintained that a stronger critique of that culture could have been made without the explicit imagery.
Critical and International Reception
Despite the domestic uproar, professional reviewers largely praised the film’s intentions. It earned an 86 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics highlighting its examination of how social media and peer pressure shape modern girlhood. Metacritic recorded a score of 67, reflecting generally favorable notices. The picture premiered at Sundance without incident and opened theatrically across France and much of Europe to far less polarized responses than it received in the United States.
Netflix petition
Viewers launched a Change.org campaign urging subscribers to cancel their accounts over what the petition described as content that exploits children. The effort collected more than 600,000 signatures at its height. Netflix later apologized for the original artwork and revised both the poster and synopsis, acknowledging that the images did not accurately represent the French production that debuted at Sundance. The film was removed from the service in September 2024 once its licensing window closed.
Director’s Subsequent Work
Maïmouna Doucouré has continued to explore similar territory in later projects. Her 2022 feature Hawa centers on a teenage girl coping with loss while navigating family expectations and social dynamics. In subsequent interviews she has reiterated that her goal with Cuties was to critique the hyper-sexualization of young people rather than celebrate it, and she has noted receiving a personal apology from Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos after the marketing controversy erupted.
Streaming Availability and Legacy
Six years after its release, Cuties is no longer part of the Netflix catalog. It remains available for digital rental or purchase in select territories. The episode continues to surface in discussions about how platforms balance artistic intent with promotional responsibility, particularly when stories involve minors and charged cultural themes.
Legal Resolution
A Texas grand jury had indicted Netflix on charges related to the promotion of lewd material involving children. The case was dismissed without prejudice in 2022, effectively ending the criminal proceedings without a conviction or trial.
The film’s marketing missteps and the resulting debate remain a case study in how distribution choices can overshadow a project’s stated aims. Viewers can still access the movie through other means and judge its execution for themselves.
