BBFC 18 Rating

The BBFC has put together a plan for films rating themselves an 18. If a film is rated 18, this means that nobody under this age will be able to neither see nor buy the film. For a film to be rated an 18 it must abide by some rules.

In line with the consistent findings of the BBFC's public consultations and The Human Rights Act 1998, at '18' the BBFC's guideline concerns will not normally override the principle that adults should be free to choose their own entertainment. Expectations are most likely in the following areas:

• ·         Where the material is in breach of the criminal law, or has been created through the commission of a criminal offence.
• ·         Where material or treatment appears to BBFC to risk or harm individuals or, through their behaviour, to society - for example, any detailed portrayal of violent or dangerous acts, or of illegal drug use, which may cause harm to public health or morals. This could also include portrayals of sexual or sexualised violence which might, for example eroticise or endorse sexual assault. Where there are more explicit images of sexual activity which cannot be justified by context.

Sex education '18': Sex material genuinely seeks to inform and educate in matters such as human sexuality, health and safe sex, explicit images of sexual activity may be permitted.

Sex works '18': Sex works are works whose primary purpose is sexual arousal or stimulation. Sex works containing only materials which may be stimulated are generally passed as '18'. Sex works containing clear images of real sex, strong fetish material, sexually explicit animated images, or other very strong sexual images will be confirmed to the 'R18' category. Material which is unacceptable in a sex work at 'R18' is also unacceptable in a sex work at '18'

This information provided by the BBFC has helped me understand more about the classifications of 18 films and how they're different to rated 15's. In 18's, most things will be allowed rather than a 15 where you need to be careful and less obvious with sexual activity and other discriminating videos, such as violence and drug taking. I think our group will be able to understand from the information which one we would rather, and we will therefore have to go back and discuss which we choose to do.