Child actress Dakota Fanning is set to shock fans in new movie "Hounddog", because she has shot child rape scenes and appears semi-naked reports The IMDb.

The controversial film written and directed by Deborah Kampmeier is a dark and violent story set in American's rural south - and the 12-year-old's mother and agent are convinced her gritty performance is Oscar-worthy.

Agent Joy Osbrink tells the New York Daily News that "It's not just the rape scene - the whole story is challenging Dakota as an actress. And I've never been so proud of her in my life. I've seen the dailies, and in every scene she gets better and better."