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Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., sent a letter to the Department of Justice on Monday raising concerns about Netflix's new film "Cuties," which follows a group of scantily dressed young girls who do sexualized dances as a form of social rebellion.
Buck and fellow GOP Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., called for an investigation into the movie to make certain all federal laws regarding the exploitation of minors were followed in full.
"We write expressing our concerns regarding the potential exploitation of children in Netflix’s recently released film, Cuties," Buck and Biggs wrote. "We join our Congressional colleagues in urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to open an investigation to ensure the film and its production uphold federal laws protecting children from exploitation."
The film, centered on an 11-year-old Senegalese immigrant living in Paris, is the debut of French director Maïmouna Doucouré. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah last year and earned Doucouré a best directing award.
In the film, the main character, Amy, ends up joining a clique of girls who call themselves the “Cuties” – and perform highly provocative and eroticized dance numbers while scantily clad – as a way of rebelling against their conservative Muslim parents.
KEN BUCK SENDS LETTER TO DOJ ASKING FOR INVESTIGATION INTO FUNDING OF RECENT RIOTS
"Throughout the film, young girls engage in sexually provocative dances, and the film includes at least one scene where a young girl is partially nude," the letter continued. "Not only does this raise alarms that these girls may have been exploited in the production of Cuties, but the film also creates an environment where the sexual abuse and exploitation of children by pedophiles is normalized. While the Constitution vigorously protects the freedoms of speech and expression, content that victimizes minors is not among these protected forms of content."
The letter went on to push for a probe into the casting calls for the film to ensure none of the children were taken advantage of in a sexual or exploitative manner.
"It is fair to say that the provocative dances portrayed throughout Cuties is an affront to the children’s dignity and stimulates the child sex trafficking trade," it continued.
"Finally, the Department of Justice should also investigate those involved in the film’s casting and production to ensure these children were not exploited behind the scenes," Buck and Biggs added. "The sexualization and gross objectification of these girls on [the] screen creates an environment that is ripe for individuals to take advantage of these innocent children. As we have seen all too often, the inherent power structure of film production leaves these girls vulnerable to indecent and potentially abusive treatment."
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In an email to Fox News Monday, Buck said, "The DOJ must open an immediate investigation into ensuring 'Cuties' and its production uphold federal laws protecting children from exploitation. We cannot stand idly by while Netflix distributes this disturbing film that encourages the exploitation of children.”
Fox News' Brie Stimson contributed to this report
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