Duffy slams ‘365 Days’ for romanticising kidnaping
London, July 3 (IANS) Singer Duffy has slammed erotic drama “365 Days” for glamorising the “brutal reality of sex trafficking, kidnapping and rape”.
The singer has reportedly penned an open letter to Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, and condemned the platform for its decision to stream the controversial film, terming it as an “irresponsible” move, reports hollywoodreporter.com.
The plot of the Polish film is about a powerful man holding a young woman captive, giving her one year to fall in love with him. Following some reluctance, the woman ends up falling in love with him, and decides to stay with him. The film has a 0 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
“This should not be anyone’s idea of entertainment, nor should it be described as such, or be commercialised in this manner,” she wrote in the letter, which has been obtained by numerous media outlets, including The Sun.
The “Mercy” singer said that while she did not intend to call out Netflix, she felt the need to because of her experiences.
“I just can’t imagine how Netflix could overlook how careless, insensitive and dangerous this is. It has even prompted some young women, recently, to jovially ask Michele Morrone, the lead actor in the film, to kidnap them,” she added.
She went on to call the streaming giant hypocritical, writing: “We all know Netflix would not host material glamorising pedophilia, racism, homophobia, genocide, or any other crimes against humanity. The world would rightly rise up and scream.”
She urged Hastings to use Netflix’s resources and filmmakers to produce and stream “content that portrays the truth of the harsh and desperate reality of what ‘365 Days’ has sought to turn into a work of casual entertainment”.
The singer concluded the letter by urging those who watched the movie to “reflect on the reality of kidnapping and trafficking, of force and sexual exploitation”, instead of “”eroticises kidnapping and distorts sexual violence and trafficking as a ‘sexy’ movie”.
“‘365 Days’ has brought great hurt to those who have endured the pains and horrors that this film glamorises, for entertainment and for dollars. What I and others who know these injustices need is the exact opposite — a narrative of truth, hope and to be given a voice,” she said.
Earlier this year, Duffy opened up about her own harrowing experience of being raped, drugged and held captive for weeks in the past.
“I was put into a hotel room and the perpetrator returned and raped me. I remember the pain and trying to stay conscious in the room after it happened. I was stuck with him for another day, he didn’t look at me, I was to walk behind him, I was somewhat conscious and withdrawn. I could have been disposed of by him,” she said, adding: “I hope it comforts you to feel less ashamed if you feel alone.”
–IANS
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