The BBFC is the British Board of Film Classification, which assigns age ratings to films based on guidelines considering factors like violence, sex/nudity, language, themes and behavior portrayed. The document outlines the age rating categories from U to 18, describing the types and levels of content appropriate for each rating. It also notes the BBFC considers violence, sex, language, themes, drug use, discrimination, horror and imitable behavior when classifying a film. In an example, the document states the film "Silence Is Golden" would receive an 18 rating for strong disturbing violence, sex/nudity, racist themes, mature themes, drug use, horror and imitable behavior like torture.

1. BBFC
By Amy-Ann Edwards

2. Who Are The BBFC and What Do
They Do?
The BBFC are the British Board of Film Companies who decide the age rating of a film based on the context,
tone and impact of the audience. The BBFC use specific guidelines to determine the age rating. They use these
guidelines to decide whether the content of the film is going to disturb, upset or offend people. The age ratings
they use are:
• U- Universal is suitable for all. There is no sex/nudity, violence , offensive language or mature/ racist
themes or imitable behaviour. There is no drug use or any references to drugs and hardly any horror.
• PG- Some violence but minimal. There is no sex/nudity. There is minimal offensive language but there are
no racist or mature themes or imitable behaviour. There are no use or references to drug abuse and there is
little horror
• 12- there is mild violence but not enough to disturb. There may be some sex/nudity references. There may
be references to racism/ prejudice. There is minimal chance of drug abuse or references. There may be
possible mature themes and imitable behaviour depending on the content of the film as well as the amount
of horror
• 12A- Again mild violence but not enough to disturb. There is little sex/nudity references and. There may be
references to racism/ prejudice. There is minimal chance of drug abuse or references. There may be
possible mature themes and imitable behaviour depending on the content of the film as well as the amount
of horror.
• 15- There is strong violence but possibly enough to disturb. There may be mild sex/nudity and mild
racism/ prejudice and mature themes. There will be mild references and use of drugs. There will be mild
imitable behaviour and possible mild horror.
• 18- There is strong violence enough to disturb. Strong sex/ nudity as well as strong racist/ prejudice
references. There will be mature themes and strong use of drugs. There will be imitable behaviour and
strong horror
• R18-With an R18 there will be extreme sex/ nudity and violence for example pornography.

3. What Do They Take Into
Consideration?
When they are rating a film they look at the content of a
film. They will look at:
• Violence
• Sex
• Nudity
• Use of Language
• Mature Themes
• Drug Use
• Discrimination
• Horror
• Imitable Behaviour

4. What Rating Is Your Film?
Our film Silence Is Golden will be and 18. This
is because there is strong violence enough to
disturb. Strong sex/ nudity as well as strong
racist/ prejudice/ sexist references. There will be
mature themes and strong use of drugs. There
will be imitable behaviour and strong horror
such as torture. In our film there will be a scene
of sexual violence as well as methods of torture
and the violence will be graphic enough to
disturb.