Cuties director ‘received death threats’ over Netflix film poster

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Getty Photos

The director of Cuties has reported she received loss of life threats after a marketing poster for the film was criticised for sexualising small children.

Netflix apologised and taken out the impression after acquiring major backlash on social media final month.

Filmmaker Maïmouna Doucouré has now explained to Deadline she “received several loss of life threats” above the poster.

She reported Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos phoned her directly to apologise after the poster sparked controversy.

Cuties originally premiered at the Sundance film festival in January and received positive testimonials from critics.

“Things occurred pretty speedily for the reason that, after the delays [due to coronavirus], I was completely concentrating on the film’s release in France. I learned the poster at the exact same time as the American community,” Doucouré spelled out.

“My reaction? It was a peculiar practical experience. I hadn’t witnessed the poster right up until after I started off finding all these reactions on social media, direct messages from folks, assaults on me. I didn’t realize what was going on. That was when I went and saw what the poster seemed like.”

‘Nuanced and sensitive film’

Cuties follows an eleven-12 months-outdated who joins a dance team. Doucouré states it is intended to tackle the challenge of sexualisation of younger women.

Netflix showed women posing in skimpy outfits in its marketing poster for the award-successful French drama, which sparked on line disapproval and a petition calling for Netflix to fall the film.

Nonetheless, lots of defended the film and reported Netflix had not properly represented it in the poster.

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Netflix

The film is meant to be a commentary on the sexualisation of pre-adolescent women – relatively than an endorsement of it.

“The fact of the film, as has been nicely lined by testimonials and viewers reactions, is that it is the nuanced, sensitive tale of a pre-teen girl who will get caught among two cultures,” reported Deadline’s Tom Grater.

In her interview with the publication, Doucouré herself pointed out: “I received several assaults on my character from folks who had not witnessed the film, who assumed I was truly creating a film that was apologetic about hyper-sexualisation of small children.”

Actress Tessa Thompson tweeted: “Dissatisfied to see how it was positioned in conditions of marketing. I realize the response of every person. But it isn’t going to discuss to the film I saw.”

Doucouré reported she received “definitely supportive” messages from folks who had witnessed the film, as nicely as “incredible guidance” from the French Government.

She additional the film is set to be employed as an academic device in her property place.

In its apology, Netflix reported the marketing impression was “not agent” of the film by itself and reported it was “deeply sorry for the inappropriate artwork”.

“We had quite a few conversations again and forth after this occurred. Netflix apologised publicly, and also individually to me,” Doucouré spelled out.

She verified she received a direct phone get in touch with from Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, but did not expose particulars of the dialogue.

Cuties, which was originally titled Mignonnes, is scheduled for release on the streaming support later this month.

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