Netflix movie Cuties is slammed for 'sexualizing' children with twerking scenes

A new Netflix film 'Cuties' has sparked outrage for showing children dressed provocatively and twerking on camera.

The French film revolves around an 11-year-old Senegalese Muslim girl named Amy, who joins a twerking competition at school, upsetting her mother and going against her family traditions.

The movie, which has an NC-17 rating - the US's strictest movie rating that means nobody under the age of 18 can watch it - has received major backlash for 'hyper-sexualizing' minors.

Fury: A new Netflix movie, Cuties, has prompted outrage from viewers for 'sexualizing' children after a poster and trailer showed tween girls twerking in crop tops and hot pants

Controversy: Twitter users have blasted Netflix for showing the French film, which tells the story of an 11-year-old Senegalese Muslim girl, Amy, who joins a school dance group

Upset: One person pointed out that the Netflix poster for the movie (right) is far more provocative than the original French version

The movie's official synopsis reads: 'Amy, an 11-year-old girl, joins a group of dancers named "the cuties" at school, and rapidly grows aware of her burgeoning femininity – upsetting her mother and her values in the process.'

In the Cuties trailer, which was posted on the official Netflix YouTube account on August 18, Amy - who is portrayed by 11-year-old newcomer Fathia Youssouf - is seen trying to balance her strict religious upbringing with her newfound friend group, all of whom appear to be intent on pushing boundaries by acting and dressing in a way that is far beyond their young years.

A once-shy Amy is seen growing in confidence - dressing more provocatively, acting against her mother's wishes, and eventually stealing money to fund a shopping trip for her and her friends.

At times the tween stars are seen acting like the young girls they are, giggling, having fun and playing - however these scenes are mixed in with clips of the girls practicing overtly sexual dance moves and experimenting with provocative poses.

Towards the end of the trailer, the four young stars are seen in what appears to be their final dance performance, for which they don incredibly skimpy outfits - metallic crop tops and tight spandex hot pants - before twerking and body rolling in front of a panel of adults.

Panned: In the trailer, Amy (seen in the green T-shirt) joins a group of dancers at her school, and the young girls are seen practicing provocative dance moves and sexy poses

These are also the outfits that the youngsters are wearing in the Netflix poster for the movie - which one Twitter user pointed out is far more 'sexualized' and provocative than the original French version, which featured a seemingly-wholesome picture of the girls shopping together.

Audiences have started a petition to have 'Cuties' removed from Netflix which has received almost 20,000 signatures.

Social media users have called out Netflix to ban the film from airing.

One Twitter user wrote: 'This is f***ing disgusting. Minors shouldn't be sexualized like this.'

Another added: 'I'm all for discussing those import[ant] issues, but we don't have to sexualize young girls to discuss the sexual of young girls. Too much of it happening for real. No need to have it happen for fake.'

'Shame on you Netflix': Social media users were left horrified by the trailer, in which a group of tween girls are seen dancing provocatively in skimpy outfits

Meanwhile, one said: 'The fact that they used a dark skin lead for this movie...and she's underage'

The film was directed by Maïmouna Doucouré, a French-Senegalese screenwriter and filmmaker.

Maïmouna received the Directing Award for 'Cuties' at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival.

The movie is due to air on Netflix on September 9.