CNA Staff, Sep 18, 2020 / 10:30 am
After controversy surrounding the film "Cuties," Netflix subscribers are cancelling the service at eight times the normal rate, an industry magazine has reported. The film's release on the streaming service has triggered sustained backlash from customers and commentators for its sexualized presentation of a group of 11-year old girls.
Shortly after the French-language movie was released on September 8, the hashtag #CancelNetflix began trending across social media platforms. According to YipitData, a data analytics firm, starting on Sept. 10, people in the United States began canceling their Netflix accounts at a higher rate than normal. On September 12, the cancellation rate was eight times the rate of canceled accounts in August 2020, the firm told Variety.
Per YipitData, the rate of cancelations on September 12 was a multi-year high for the streaming company, though the company did not tell Variety how many accounts were canceled. Netflix has nearly 200 million paid users.
"Cuties" was originally released under the French title "Mignonnes," tells the story of "Amy," an 11-year-old Senegalese girl who lives in Paris with her family. Amy's classmates form a dance troupe, called the "Cuties," who perform hip-hop dances. As the film progresses, the dances get more risque. The film contrasts the conservative Muslim culture in which Amy is raised to the libertine culture of secular France.