British Board of Film Classification (BBFC)

The British Board of Film Classification is the UK's regulatory board that reviews all films before cinema and sales release to give them an appropriate age certificate based on the content of the film. This is based off the language and scenarios.

The BBFC's mission statement is as follows;

'As a highly expert and experienced regulator, our mission is to:

- Protect the public, and especially children, from content which might raise harm risks

- Empower the public, especially parents, to informed viewing choices

- Recognise and respect adult freedom of choice within the law

- Respond to and reflect changing social attitudes towards media content through proactive public consultation and research

- Provide a cost-effective, efficient classification service within our statutory remit

- Work in partnership with the industry to develop innovative service models to provide content advice which support emerging media delivery systems

- Provide an effective service to enforcement agencies

The organisation is independent, funded solely by the fees that they charge for their services which is calculated by measuring the films runnings time of each production they are given. They do not gain profit from their work, simply enough to cover the costs they use per film.

The council members consist of those who work in the manufacturing and servicing sections of the film industry, banking, corporate accountancy, television broadcasting and production, as well as the charity sector. The Council of Management members are excluded from deciding on a films classification as well as the policy making.

These are the BBFC's age ratings. The certificates are in place to make the audience aware that you should be of this age or above, or have guidance before watching these films.

U is a universal rating, making these films available for all ages. 

PG requires parental guidance for those under the age of 8, but overall it is suitable for all. 

12 is the rating given for a film that is unsuitable for anyone under this age.

12A is unsuitable for anyone under the age of 12 unless accompanied by an adult one age should not be much younger than 12 though as some pieces of material are still unsuitable.

15 is unsuitable for anyone under this age.

18 is unsuitable for anyone under this age.

R18 is restricted to those 18 and under, very select cinemas will show these films and can mostly only be purchase from 'adult stores' for their extreme sexual content.

Despite the BBFC's certificates, it is possible for a town or city's council to appeal to have the rating overturned for their theatres to showcase the select film. This happened in 2007 with Bristol's City Council after This Is England was slapped with an age 18 rating. The film's director Shane Meadows was appalled and outraged when his film was given this certificate as he felt it alienated the target audience he had in mind during production. TIE focuses on a young boy who joins a gang of skinheads in 80's Thatcherite Britain, the groups struggles with society, political upheaval and the coming of age. 

Meadows has said "It's like I've somehow overachieved. By having one piece of violence and one piece of really acute verbal violence I've managed to get an 18 certificate, whereas someone else can slay thousands of people in a single film and that's OK. To be honest I don't understand it because, yes, the film is affecting but I think it's something that someone of 18 can cope with. It's not like it's a film about the 80s that has no value; it's incredibly relevant politically. It's as much about Iraq as it is about the Falklands. It's as much about England in 2007 as it is about England in 1983." 

Bristol City Council described the BBFC's final verdict as 'idiotic' and changed the rating for their theatres to a 15, enabling more teenagers to view it.