BBFC Classification

The BBFC – what do they do?

In order to protect children from unsuitable and even harmful content in films and videos and to give consumers information they might need about a particular film or video before deciding whether or not to view it, the BBFC examines and age rates films and videos before they are released.

The BBFC look at issues such as discrimination, drugs, horror, dangerous and easily imitable behaviour, language, nudity, sex and violence when making decisions. They also consider context, the tone and likely impact of a work on the potential audiecne.
                                                             (bbf.co.uk)

U – The U symbol stands for universal which means that the context shown is suitable for any child from the age of four years old.  Only very mild bad language such as ‘damn’ and ‘hell’ are considered acceptable for this classification. No significant issues can be raised e.g. sex, discrimination, nudity etc, although brief kissing is deemed appropriate. A U film may include brief scenes of violence or moments where a character is in danger but the threat must be quickly resolved and the outcome must be reassuring.

PG – The symbol stands for parental guidance meaning that the film is suitable for general viewing but some scenes may be considered unsuitable for younger children. Mind bad language such as ‘shit’ or ‘bitch’ are considered appropriate but not repeatedly. References to sex are acceptable as long as it is mild and not dwelled upon in detail. Some blood is acceptable as long as the viewers are unable to get an in depth insight on how the wound or injury was inflicted. Realistic or easily accessible weapons such as knives will not be glamorised in a PG classification film.

12/12A – This classification means that anyone aged 12 or over can go and see the film unaccompanied. The A stands for 'accompanied' and 'advisory'. Children younger than 12 may see the film if they are accompanied by an adult (e.g. someone over the age of 18), who must watch the film with them. Some strong language such as f**** is considered acceptable but it cannot be used frequently.  Sex may be portrayed briefly and verbal sex references should not exceed what is appropriate for a young teenager. There may be nudity but again, this must be discreet and brief as well as violence which must also not be dwelled upon.  Discriminatory behaviour should not be endorsed in the film as a whole.

15 – This classification means that the content in the film will only be suitable for a person aged 15 and over. strong violence, frequent strong language (e.g. 'f***'), portrayals of sexual activity, strong verbal, references to sex, sexual nudity, verbal references to sexual violence, discriminatory language or behaviour and drug taking are suitable as long as it is brief and not shown in too much detail.

18 – This classification means that content is only suitable for adults. No theme is prohibited at 18 as adults are allowed to pick their own entertainment within the law, which means that some themes may be deemed effective.