Cuties (4 Stars)

This is a film that people talk about for all the wrong reasons. It's a coming-of-age film about a girl growing up under the control of a suppressive patriarchal religion.

The film is set in Paris, but it could just as well take place in any other large city in Europe. Aminata Diob (nicknamed Amy) is the 11-year-old daughter of immigrants from Senegal. Her mother forces her to do things she doesn't want to and dress in a way she doesn't want to. At first glance we think her mother is a strict Moslem, but as the film progresses we see that she's also only doing what's expected of her.

When the film starts, Amy is an outsider. The other girls look down on her because she dresses differently. She wants to be one of them. First she dresses in similar clothing (without her mother's knowledge), and then she dresses even more provocatively.

Within a few days Amy goes from being an outsider to being the centre of attention.

Many people say that Moslem women should be allowed to cover their heads if they want to. I agree, but the emphasis is on if they want to. Very few Moslem teenagers want to cover their heads. They're forced into it by their parents, especially their fathers. After years of brainwashing they become adults and take it for granted. That's what we see with Amy's mother. For years she's been contented with her life, but now her husband has gone back to Senegal to take a second wife. It makes her cry, but she accepts it, because her man can do whatever he wants.

When I lived in Birmingham I had a Pakistani friend in my film group. She was an adult, but she still lived with her parents. She told me that she always covered her head when she left her house, but as soon as she was out of sight she took her head scarf off. She even burnt her Koran in the garden, but she's terrified of telling her father what she's done. She only confided in me because she knew I had an open mind. She's condemned to put on the pretence of being a good Moslem.

Women should have the right to do whatever they want, whatever their religion is. No man should dictate to them. It's slightly different with young girls. I understand that when a girl is only eleven she should obey her parents, but the parents should be wise enough to talk to her and explain everything. If a girl is forced to dress conservatively against her will, it's likely that she'll go to the opposite extreme and dress too provocatively.

That's what happened to Amy.

"Cuties" is a Netflix original film. After four years it's been removed from the site, but it hasn't been made available on disc, apart from a French DVD without English subtitles. In my opinion it's shameful. No film should be allowed to disappear. I'm glad that I made a high density copy before it was taken down.