Everyone knows about the erotic film that gripped the internet, right? 365 Days shocked the public and became incredibly popular, but heavily criticized. Now, with its sequel, 365 Days: This Day having been recently released and a third film coming soon, people are getting even further sucked into the sex appeal of the film. There are a large amount of movie fans (and concerned citizens) out there who have also been swept up in the controversy the movie has sparked, generating anger with its content.
Based on a novel by Polish writer Blanka Lipińska, 365 Days follows Italian mafia boss Massimo, who kidnaps a woman called Laura and gives her 365 days to fall in love with him. From then onwards, the film includes explicit sex scenes and of course, as sadly expected, Laura falls in love with him in the end. The sequel, in comparison to the first film, certainly did not choose to focus too heavily on the storyline; instead, they turned up the level of sex even more, and it left many viewers in disgust.
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Netflix’s description of the first movie seemed to promise a suspenseful thriller: “A woman falls victim to a dominant mafia boss, who imprisons her and gives her one year to fall in love with him.” However, some will argue that what we really witnessed was a horrific love story (if you can even call it that) between a violent kidnapper and his victim, a kind of Stockholm syndrome exploitation flick. So, did Netflix release something that glorifies sexual assault? Are they doing it again?
Redefining Relationships, But Not In a Good Way
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When the first installment of 365 Days came out, people called the strange romance movie out for its themes and depiction of sexual violence, and with a 0% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, there were calls for the title to be taken down completely. Both 365 Days movies’ approach to consent and sexual assault was questioned by viewers, who also found a resemblance between Laura and Massimo’s relationship and Stockholm syndrome. This includes feelings of trust or affection felt in many cases of kidnapping or hostage-taking by a victim towards a captor. Sound familiar?
Despite certain controversies, some viewers actually called the film thrilling and daring compared to its not-so-distant relative, Fifty Shades of Grey, which some people in the BDSM or fetish communities say is a PG-style version of their experience, against the more explicit 365 Days. Netflix even defended the movie after accusations that it was glorifying sex trafficking and rape. Although, for those who are familiar with both movies, we know that Massimo sedates Laura and imprisons her, as well as sexually assaulting her and pursuing a continuous sexual relationship without her consent, and it is surely clear that this is problematic when displayed as erotic entertainment.
However, some may argue that this changes when she falls in love with him, and it does become consensual. Again though, this might be because he uses tactics such as gaslighting and coercion to physically, sexually, and emotionally abuse and keep Laura under his spell.
Will 365 Days Be Removed?
After the release of the first movie, and especially over the past month following the release of the sequel, multiple petitions have been made to request them being taken down by Netflix. One of the most widespread petitions, titled “Remove 365 Days from Netflix for Glorifying Stockholm Syndrome and Abuse,” currently holds 95,859 signatures. The page stresses that “one in four women experiences domestic violence in their life and Netflix clearly stands on the side of the abusers by having a movie that glorifies, romanticizes, and condones sexual assault trending on their top 10 recommended movies to watch around the globe.”
Despite multiple petitions being formed, according to The Guardian, Netflix said that while it did license the film, it was not involved in the production, and while no comments were made on the accusations, it was pointed out that the film did carry high ratings for violence, sex and nudity. A spokesperson for Netflix also further commented in defense of the movies:
Now with its sequel, 365 Days has already been confirmed to be followed by a third movie, however, will it go ahead? The developing love triangle from the second installment of 365 Days had some actual fans on the edge of their seats, and we can only assume that this will be followed in the next movie with a resolution of the cliffhanger ending. Although, will it be an interesting storyline, or will it take its focus on disturbing sex scenes to an even higher level? Is there any real resolution to a series of films which glorify sexual assault? Fans, as well as petitioners, should certainly be prepared for something just as shocking as the first two movies.
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