Pretty Babies: The Problem of Girlhood in Film

Overview

Everyone is always asking, "Will someone think of the children?" Yet this question never seems to benefit... actual children. In light of the recent moral panic over the 2020 Netflix film Cuties, we are once again debating whether depiction equals endorsement. Cuties is much like another highly controversial film, Pretty Baby, in the way it poses uncomfortable truths about the exploitation of young girls. In this episode, we discuss these two films, their mark on the culture, and if they're worthy of redemption. If 2023 was "the year of the girl", maybe these once maligned films are more important than ever.