THINK - Film

(French: Mignonnes)

Cuties is a French coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Maimouna Doucoure that sparked controversy when it debuted in 2020. Doucoure decided to do the film after walking into an inappropriate talent show and recognizing the hyper-sexualization that was happening with pre-teens.

Although the film received a lot of harsh feedback, it was her intention to show people what was happening with young girls in society and in social media. Doucoure the young actress’s mental health was protected by hiring a psychologist to assist throughout the filming process. The movie is very intense and heart-wrenching, focusing on the traditions of the Muslim way of life versus a young girl looking to be accepted by her peers.

The main actor, Amy (Fathia Youssouf), is an 11-year-old girl who has relocated and does not know any of her peers. She is raised in a Muslim home, whose family is from Senegal. Amy is the oldest with 2 brothers and their mother is waiting on her polygynous husband, who just marries a second wife to return home. Amy is in a new school and becomes intrigued with a group of girls who are dancing. The girls assume she is weird because they catch her continuously watching and following them, therefore they begin to treat her badly. She disregards every moment that she is bullied by the girls and is determined to do whatever it takes to befriend the girls. Upon her success in befriending them, and her determination to be accepted, she agrees to walk into the boy’s bathroom to take pictures with a phone she previously stole. She becomes with watching the young girls on a social media platform and often times lock herself in the bathroom teaching herself their dance routine and learning how to twerk. She goes as far as to hide inside of her hijab during prayer to listen to and watch videos of what appears to be video dancers and strippers. In her desperation to be accepted, her personality begins to change, and she would leave her home dressed properly but shortly after, practically naked.

She becomes successful in befriending the girls and becomes a part of their twerking dance group leading them into provocative dancing, while also finding out about her dad’s second wife while hiding under her mother’s bed and overhearing her mother crying and heartbroken. This causes her to spiral out of control and become more rebellious. Amy goes as far to prove a point to her friends that she is not a little girl by taking a picture of her vagina and posting it on social media. She was unaware that her actions would bring more chaos and judgement. Her mother, Miriam (Maimouna Gueye), and aunt realize that she has lost her way from her home teaching and that she is behaving inappropriately. They isolate her while throwing water on her and pray over her. They call the Imam (Muslim Pastor) to see if she was possessed and response was that she was not, but it was the stress of what was going on in the home.

In all of Amy’s desperations, she becomes successful and accepted and partakes in a public talent show. The mothers in the audience are covering their daughters faces due to the provocative nature of the routine. Amy gets an epiphany while she is dancing and messes up the whole routine by running off the stage and going home and finally being embraced by her mom in her time of needing her mother’s love and acceptance. In this moment she realizes her actions have been wrong and she and her mother connected as her mom protects her from the comments of her mother’s aunt and without question embrace her daughter.

A young girl became rebellious due to the hurt caused by her dads’ actions, and wanting to be accepted by her peers, while trying to find herself. She strayed from her belief system but while going through her acts of desperation, she finds herself back home like the prodigal son and just as the father embraces the prodigal son, so does her mom. We have strayed from God doing things that are not pleasing and even immoral and defiling, yet God accepts us back into Himself when we realize we have gone to far. Doucoure, used an experience to shed light on the truth of what young girls go through as well as how what happens in the home cases an effect on young children. Although, it may be a difficult movie to watch, it also sheds light on the truth of todays young culture, social media and the relationship we have with our children. May God be the guide and may our hearts listen.

LaQwonna “Lady Q” Glaster Evangelist, Prayer Warrior, Poet, Visual Artist, Sisters of Faith Founder & Event Planner