Netflix Faces Criminal Charge Over Lewd Film "Cuties"

Netflix is accused of promoting offensive visual material, the award-winning French film "Cuties."

On Tuesday, prosecutors said that a grand jury in Tyler County charged the streaming giant for promoting the lewd film "Cuties." The film has been accused by some child exploitation and defended as a complex coming-of-age regarding preadolescent girls, The NY Times reported. 

Last week Netflix received a summons to inform it that grand jurors in Tyler County indicted the company for promoting offensive visual material depicting a child.

The charge is base on a Texas law indicating that it is illegal to promote material that shows the genitals or the private part of a child, clothed or partially clothed that might appeal to the prurient sexual interest and has no literary, political, artistic, or scientific value, the County prosecutors said.

 Lucas Babin, the county's criminal district attorney, said in a statement, "The legislators of this state believe promoting certain lewd material of children has destructive consequences. "If such material is distributed on a grand scale, isn't the need to prosecute more, not less?"

Babin noted that he watched the film and said it was his job "to make calls on how to keep the community safe." The indictment stated that Ted Sarandos and Reed Hastings, the chief executives of Netflix, had "recklessly tolerated" the film's spread.

It is still unclear what penalties Babin's office is seeking in its case against Netflix. The charge was only described in a statement as a state jail felony.

Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos defends controversial film 'Cuties'

Ted Sarandis, Netflix CEO, defended the streaming giant's decision to stream the controversial film "Cuties." Sarandos also complained about 'censoring storytelling' after the Tyler County grand jury in Texas criminally indicted Netflix for their children's lewd depiction.

In early September, the coming-of-age film was released online. As per Daily Mail, "Cuties" was directed by French-Senegalese director Maimouna Doucoure. The film is about a rebellious Parisian girl named Amy, who joined a dance group with three other girls from her neighborhood. 

Netflix stated that "Cuties" is a 'social commentary against sexualization of your girls.' The film also serves as an eye-opener on how social media could let wrongdoing. 

But the Texas grand jury reiterated that Netflix under the law breaks the rules of exhibiting lewd genitals or private body parts of an unclothed, clothed, or partially clothed child.

On Monday, at the Mipcom entertainment market, Sarandos criticized the decision as Netflix likely faces a fine or the motion picture to discontinue. 

According to Deadline, Sarandos said that it is a little surprising in 2020 that America is having a discussion regarding censoring storytelling. 

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