Canadian Lobbyists Accuse Netflix’s ‘Bigfoot Family’ Of ‘Peddling Lies’ About Oil And Gas

The petition is hosted on a site called Support Canadian Energy, which is described as “a Canadian Energy Centre project.” Text accompanying the petition adds that the film “peddles lies about the energy sector,” singling out a scene in which oil is extracted “by blowing up a valley using glowing red bombs.”

At the time of writing, more than 2,900 people have signed. CEC CEO Tom Olsen told CBC News that a concerned parent drew the organization’s attention to the film. He said more than 1,000 Canadians have sent emails to Netflix Canada to show their concern. CBC requested comment from Netflix Canada, which did not immediately respond.

The CEC was set up in 2019 by Alberta premier Jason Kenney, leader of the United Conservative Party, with the mandate to promote the country’s energy production. Nicknamed the Energy War Room, it launched with a budget of CAD$30 millino (USD$24.1), which was subsequently trimmed during the pandemic.

Bigfoot Family is a Belgian-French co-production directed by Ben Stassen and Jeremy Degruson. The film, which played at Annecy Festival last year, ranked #1 on Netflix’s movie list in territories including the U.S. and Canada after launching last month. It is a sequel to 2017’s box-office hit The Son of Bigfoot.