Netflix Inc. has been indicted by a grand jury in a Texas county on the charge of promoting lewd visuals of a child in the French film Cuties. The Texas House of Representative tweeted a copy of a document stating that a grand jury has indicted Netflix for “promotion of lewd visual material depicting child.” The indictment also alleges that the promotion of the film was “authorized or recklessly tolerated by” Netflix Co-CEO and Chairman Reed Hastings and Co-Chief Executive Officer and Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos.
Back in August, Netflix apologized for marketing materials used to promote Cuties, following backlash over a poster that was perceived by many as sexualizing children. The original artwork featured the film’s young main characters in suggestive poses and dressed in revealing outfits. “We’re deeply sorry for the inappropriate artwork that we used for Mignonnes/Cuties,” a Netflix spokesperson said in a statement. “It was not OK, nor was it representative of this French film which won an award at Sundance. We’ve now updated the pictures and description.”
The film in a coming-of-age dramedy directed by French filmmaker Maïmouna Doucouré, Cuties follows an 11-year-old Senegalese immigrant named Amy who moves to Paris with her family. She becomes fascinated by a dance troupe at her school, which puts her in conflict with her family’s traditional Muslim values.
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