Representative Jim Banks (R-Ind.) and 33 GOP House lawmakers have called on Attorney General William Barr to prosecute streaming service Netflix for the distribution of "child pornography" in a letter this week.
Banks’s letter follows Netflix’s debut of the controversial movie "Cuties," which follows an 11-year-old Senegalese immigrant named Amy who lives in Paris and joins a group of dancers called the "Cuties" at school. The film is directed by French movie maker, Maïmouna Doucouré.
Titled "Mignonnes" in French, it features sexually-suggestive dance routines and includes a number of inappropriate close-up shots of underage girls as they dance in revealing clothing.
The description also says that director Maïmouna Doucouré "focuses tightly on her rowdy protagonists, crafting a spirited film that nimbly depicts the tweens’ youthful energy and vulnerabilities while exploring their fumbling eagerness to be identified as sexualized."
"Thx to the 33 Republicans who joined me in calling on DOJ to prosecute Netflix for distributing Cuties, which is child porn…" Banks wrote on Twitter on Thursday.
Banks also criticized Democrats who had failed to sign the letter, adding, "They seem to prefer defending Cuties to criticizing it. I don’t get it. How can you support this filth??"
"Child pornography is any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor, and that conduct does not need to specifically depict sexual activity to qualify," it reads.
"Cuties clearly meets the United States’ legal definition of child pornography," the letter continues. "Cuties contains, 'a scene where an 11-year-old girl dressed in a tank and panties is splashed with water and begins twerking in a frenzied kind of way,' and numerous other, equally distressing depictions of minors."
"To us, and to the vast majority of Americans, it’s deeply upsetting to see a mainstream media company promote the sexualization of children. We appreciate you considering this issue and eagerly await your response."
The letter was signed by Republican lawmakers including Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar, Georgia Rep. Doug Collins, and North Carolina Rep. Greg Murphy.
Despite criticism, Netflix has defended "Cuties" and said that people should watch it before opposing it.
In a statement to The Epoch Times, a Netflix spokesperson said, "Cuties is a social commentary against the sexualization of young children and a powerful story about the pressure young girls face on social media and from society more generally growing up."
"We’d encourage anyone who cares about these important issues to watch the movie," the spokesperson added.
"Cuties" was the fourth-most popular film on Netflix as of Sept. 15.
The Epoch Times has contacted Netflix for comment regarding Banks' letter.
