Film Classification and Censorship

Who are the BBFC and what do they do

The BBFC handle all censorship and age certificates given to media productions in the UK,
the regulation will take place before the film is produced to make sure it is suitable for the
public. the BBFC are contactable by email mainly.
What are the 6 UK classification certificates?

Above are the age ratings given for media production by the BBFC, they are U for everyone,
PG for parental guidance meaning that a parent might want to consider whether they want
their child to watch the product. 12 meaning a person 12 or over or accompanied by an
adult, 12a meaning the person has to be above 12, 15 meaning the same only 15 or above
and finally 18 meaning the film is for adult view only.
Why does the BBFC classify films?
The BBFC classify films to make sure that the wrong audiences do not see products that are
inappropriate for them and parents know if something is suitable for their child or not.
What is censorship?
Censorship is where a product will be censored for being too inappropriate for being shown
to the public such as gore and nudity scenes will sometimes be censored from being shown
in the final product.
Give an example of censorship. (Include film title, complaint/reason for censoring and
outcome)
An example is for the film pirates of the Caribbean at worlds end, the film was banned in
china due to one of the characters in the film being a negative portrayal of people in China,
leading to the film being banned in China.
How do you make a complaint about a film?
There are multiple ways to make a complaint about a film one way is to contact the
company that produced the film and complain to them about, another is to contact BBFC
and let them know your concerns about the film. The way you could do this is to email the
company and tell them your complaint.