BBFC Certification Research powerpoint

1. Joe Martyn

2.  The 12 category is awarded to films that are
suitable, in general, for those aged 12 and
over.
 For 12A rated movies, an adult may take a
younger child if, in their judgement, the film
is suitable for that particular child. In such
circumstances, responsibility for allowing a
child under 12 to view the film lies with the
accompanying adult.

3.  Films under this category can contain mature
themes, discrimination, soft drugs,
infrequent strong language, very strong
language (introduced in 2015) and moderate
violence, sex references and nudity. Sexual
activity may be briefly and discreetly
portrayed. Sexual violence may be implied or
briefly indicated.
 12A ratings only apply to films in cinemas.A
12 rating is used for the DVD release and
online streaming.

4.  The film contains scenes of moderate
violence and threat, including a
striking sequence in which a mass of
crocodiles attack humans, with the
result that the river Nile turns red with
blood. Although the sequence in
question is fairly bloody, there is little
sight of wounds, and the historical
setting provided mitigation for the
kind of occasional gory moments
permissible at 12A.

5.  This film features only moderate violence with no focus on blood or
injury detail. Furthermore, unlike the preceding two instalments,
there is no ‘hunger games’ competition, in which contestants are
pitted against one another to the death. Instead, there is a focus on
more generalised scenes of revolution, in which the people fight
back against an oppressive government.The BBFC classified the
film 12A without cuts.

6.  The work as a whole must not endorse
discriminatory language or behaviour.
 Drug taking may be shown but the film as a whole
must not promote or encourage drug misuse.
Promotion of drugs which are easy to obtain are
unlikely to be allowed.
 Strong threat and menace are permitted unless
sadistic or sexualised.
 Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide
and self-harming) can be allowed provided the detail
of such is low so that it can not create too much of
an impression of the viewer. Abuse of weapons
which are easily obtained will not be tolerated.

7.  Frequent use of strong language can be permitted,
although very strong language needs to be
restricted and would have to be seen as reasonable
in the context. Frequent usage of very strong
language would be seldom allowed.
 Nudity in a sexual content must be restricted
however nudity in a non-sexual content does not.
 Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the
infliction of pain or injury.The strongest gory images
are unlikely to be acceptable.The same applies to
references.Any sexual violence should be discreet
and be strongly justified.

8.  Devil’s Knot is a US drama, based on
real events, about the murder of
three young boys in Arkansas.The
film follows the efforts of a legal
investigator to prove a miscarriage
of justice after three teenagers are
convicted of the crimes. Although
the murders are not shown, there
are verbal references made to the
nature of the boys’ deaths.There are
also disturbing images of the
children’s corpses, and sight of their
injuries in crime scene photos,
requiring a 15 classification.

9.  The Interview (classified in
2014; released in 2015) is a
comedy starring Seth Rogen
and James Franco about a US
TV chat show host and his
producer who are enlisted by
the CIA to assassinate North
Korea's supreme leader Kim
Jong-un.The film contains
several strong and crude sex
references, along with some
very strong language and
strong bloody violence, and it is
classified 15 accordingly.