'Cuties' Controversy: 72% Viewers Feel Controversy Was 'Overblown' After Watching It

Maïmouna Doucouré ’s “Cuties” has been a figure of controversy since the first poster of the movie surfaced online. However, it seems people have been watching the film in large numbers due to all the commotion surrounding it. On the other hand, a large number of viewers also believe that the whole controversy was “overblown.”

In a survey conducted by Screen Engine/ASI, 52% of the viewers watched the movie after learning about the controversy while 29% revealed that the dust-up was one of the major reasons why they watched it, The Hollywood Reporter reported.

The survey also found that more than 70% of viewers thought that the controversy was “overblown” by people. Their perception about the movie was changed after they saw it. However, many still want “Cuties” to be removed from the streaming service.

About 48% of people agreed that the movie should not be played on the streaming platform, while 17% somewhat agreed, according to the media outlet.

“There were definitely a lot of people who watched it because of the controversy,” THR quoted Mark Orne, executive vice-president of Screen Engine/ASI, as saying.

Recently, a petition was filed on Change.org asking for the removal of the film from Netflix. According to the person behind the petition, the film “sexualizes” an 11-year-old child. The petitioner also wrote that it is “dangerous content.”

Amid all the controversies, the movie has already become one of the lowest-rated movies on IMDb. The film currently holds a score of 2.6 on the website and has more than 20,000 reviews.

“Cuties” chronicles the journey of Amy (Fathia Youssouf), an 11-year old girl that has her eye on joining a dance team called the Cuties. Netflix bills the film as a story about a girl that rebels against her family’s conservative values when she becomes fascinated with a free-spirited dance crew.

Recently, the filmmaker opened up about the controversy and urged the people to watch the movie before passing judgment.

“The most important [thing] is to watch the film and understand we have the same fight. I thought the film would be accepted. It played on Sundance and was watched by American people there. I met the public there and they really saw that the film is about a universal issue. It’s not about French society — the hyper-sexualization of children happens through social media and social media is everywhere,” Variety quoted Doucouré, as saying.