Netflix faces criminal charges in Texas over 'Cuties' film

Netflix, the world's most popular streaming service, is now facing criminal charges over the distribution of the movie Cuties.

The controversy began earlier this year when the French film, which tells the story of a pre-teen girl who attempts to subvert her conservative upbringing by joining an all-girl dance troupe, prompted outrage.

Take a look at the trailer for the movie here:

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This outrage stemmed, not from its content, but from the way it was promoted. The movie's poster and description were perceived by many as sexualizing its cast.

Netflix's synopsis read: "Amy, 11, becomes fascinated with a twerking dance crew. Hoping to join them, she starts to explore her femininity, defying her family's traditions."

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As you can see in the comments above, the backlash to Netflix's marketing on social media was immediate and vitriolic, and several Change.org petitions were launched that lobbied to have the movie removed from Netflix's library.

Now, according to state lawmaker Matt Schaefer, Netflix has been indicted by a grand jury in Tyler County, Texas, and charged with:

"Promoting material in Cuties film which depicts lewd exhibition of pubic area of a clothed or partially clothed child who was younger than 18 yrs of age which appeals to the prurient interest in sex."

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In the aftermath of the backlash to the movie, Netflix issued a formal apology for their handling of the marketing, writing on Twitter: "We're deeply sorry for the inappropriate artwork that we used for Mignonnes/Cuties. It was not OK, nor was it representative of this French film which won an award at Sundance. We’ve now updated the pictures and description."

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But, Netflix has also defended its decision to include the movie in its library In a statement made to Variety, a Netflix spokesperson said:

"Cuties is a social commentary against the sexualization of young children. It’s an award-winning film and a powerful story about the pressure young girls face on social media and from society more generally growing up - and we’d encourage anyone who cares about these important issues to watch the movie."