The Communication Process

 

`Within the past week, there has been a recent uproar on social media in regards to “Cuties,” which is a french film surrounding the lives of 11 year old girls, friendship, and the social pressure of social media on young girls. In an article on The Washington Post, Monica Hesse addresses that the movie isn’t what it really seems to those who have been starting the hashtag, #boycottNetflix. The movie does include very uncomfortable scenes such as dancing and sharing intimate photos of young 11 year old girls that may seem very wrong to those who have actually not viewed the movie.

In Hesse’s critique, she states the movie as “one of the more compelling movies you’ve likely seen in months. Funny and deeply uncomfortable, sweet and sometimes sad,” which may seem normal to the traditions and experiences of the audiences on Netflix. But in this case, it seems different due to the allegations against Netflix online although these reactions were not the intentions of director Maïmouna Doucouré, who’s intentions were to address the influence of social media on young girls, especially pre-teens. Hesse explains that through the aesthetic value of the film, which was through the film’s main character, Amy who throughout the story becomes heavily influenced by what she has seen on social media and what it means for her to fit in with the girl group in her class who call themselves the “cuties.” But with several different influences of sassy young 11 year-olds, her strict muslim upbringing, and her new found social media, Amy perceives th meaning of being a “woman” in a wrong way, which may seem disturbing to audiences through how it is portrayed on screen.  Monica Hesse also mentions that Netflix’s decision to sustain the film was all in good intentions, assuming “the risk the filmmakers for the purpose of bringing us this uncomfortable, challenging but ultimately worthwhile work.”