Is this the sickest film in America? Calls to ban ultra-violent gang movie starring children as young as 12



Toddlers follows a New York boy who turns to crime after his drug dealer father is killed

Anti-violence campaigners call for 'disgusting' film to be banned



An ultra-violent movie that features children as young as 12 murdering their way through the streets of New York has been branded 'disgusting'.



Anti-violence campaigners claim the film, Toddlers, glorifies guns and have called for it to be banned.



Set in Harlem, the movie - released on DVD last month - follows the exploits of a boy who has to fend for himself after his drug dealer father is murdered.

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Controversial: There have been calls to ban new film Toddlers, which features children as young as 12 murdering their way through the streets of New York 'Disgusting': Anti-violence campaigners claim the film glorifies guns and crime

DVD cover: The film's trailer features children engaged in multiple shoot-outs, drug-taking and sex scenes

The film's trailer features children engaged in multiple shoot-outs, drug-taking and sex scenes.



But director M5 - real name Termaine Brown - claims Toddlers merely reflects the reality of what is happening in inner-city neighbourhoods such as Harlem.



Dismissing criticism that his film is gratuitous exploitation, he told the New York Daily News: 'That's what's going on, I'm just showing it.

'You hear about these murders, but people don't see how it happens. I show how these incidents happen. These are real life situations.



'The parents don't get to see what these kids are really doing.'

The lead character in the movie, Pito, is played by actor Jordan Pena, who was 14 during filming two years ago.



Toddlers' plot revolves around talented baseball player Pito as he quickly settles into a life of crime after the violent death of his father. Using drug money to buy guns, he and his friends blaze a path of destruction across New York.

Jordan said: 'It was basically me acting like myself. It wasn't hard at all. This was like playing my life.'



The movie's premise of inner-city New York children turning to drugs, promiscuous sex and crime has previously been shown in 1990s films such as Juice and Kids.

Director M5 - real name Termaine Brown - claims Toddlers merely reflects the reality of life in inner-city neighbourhoods such as Harlem Rampage: The movie follows the exploits of a boy who has to fend for himself after his drug dealer father is murdered

First-time filmmaker Mr Brown defended Toddlers as entertainment that is 'not for everyone'.



But anti-violence campaigners in the city want the film withdrawn.



Jackie Rowe-Adams, who founded Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E. after her son was killed by a teenager, has labelled the movie 'disgusting'.



She told the New York Daily News: 'This should be banned. All I could think about was that 13-year-old killing my son.'



The DVD of Toddlers is currently only available in Black Star Music & Video on Lenox Avenue in Harlem. It costs $20.