BBFC News

Monica is a 2022 Italy/US trans drama by Andrea Pallaoro
Starring Emily Browning, Patricia Clarkson and Trace Lysette

BBFC cuts were required for a 15 rated cinema release in 2023.

Summary Notes

The intimate portrait of a woman who returns home to care for her dying mother. A delicate and nuanced story of a fractured family, the story explores universal themes of abandonment, aging, acceptance, and redemption.

Versions

cut:   run: 113:09s pal: 108:37s

UK: BBFC 15 rated for strong sex, sex references, language for strong sex, sex references, language after BBFC cuts: 2023 606 cinema release (rated 06/11/2023) The BBFC commented: The distributor chose to make a cut to a reference to erotic asphyxiation in order to achieve a 15 rating. An uncut 18 rating was available. Thanks to Scott who noted that the "reference to erotic asphyxiation" was just in fact just someone saying "Choke me" during sex

Bhagavanth Kesari is a 2023 India action thriller by Anil Ravipudi
Starring Nandamuri Balakrishna, Arjun Rampal and Kajal Aggarwal   

Nelakonda Bhagavanth Kesari is adamant about getting even with a powerful businessman who cost him money. He is prepared to square off against the formidable foe and resolve their issues amicably.

The UK 2023 cinema release was extensively cut by 28m for a BBFC 12A rating.

Versions

distributor and BBFC category cuts cut: ~28:26s run: 135:24s pal: 129:59s		UK: A massively pre-cut version was BBFC 12A rated for moderate violence, bloody images, sexual violence references for moderate violence, bloody images, sexual violence references after further BBFC category cuts: 2023 BTS Entertainments cinema release (rated 23/10/2023) The BBFC commented: The BBFC initially classified this film 15 uncut. The distributor requested a cuts list for 12A, but the BBFC refused to offer cuts because the changes would be extensive and could damage the integrity of the film. However, the distributor chose to make their own cuts, removing a number of scenes of strong violence, and submitted a new version of the film for classification. This edit also received a 15 classification. The distributor chose to make cuts to this version, removing further scenes of violence in order to achieve their preferred category of 12A. Thanks to Scott who commented: It's already been released as an uncut 15, so clearly now the distributor is trying to cash in and get the lucrative family crowd to see it. Cinema going is a family activity in Indian culture, hence distros regularly being happy to inflict gargantuan cuts on their films to get the 12A. I should add though that it's incredibly unusual for one to be cut by more than 10 or so mins - half an hour is unprecedented. I can't even begin to imagine the mess they've made of this. Apparently fellow Indian actioners Beast and Jailer were incomprehensible in their heavily cut forms, and they were only missing 6 or 7 mins.
uncut run: 163:50s pal: 157:17s		UK: Uncut and BBFC 15 rated for strong bloody violence: 2023 2G Entertainments cinema release (rated 13/10/2023) Ireland: Uncut and IFCO 15A rated with a trigger warning for strong bloody violence, scenes of sexual threat and references to child abuse: 2023 2G Entertainment cinema release (rated 12/10/2023) Australia: I Don't Care: Uncut and ACB MA 15+ rated for strong violence: 2023 Tollymovies cinema release (rated 18/10/2023) titled Bhagavanth Kesari: I Don't Car

 

Sentinelle is a 2023 France action comedy by Hugo Benamozig, David Caviglioli
Starring Jonathan Cohen, Emmanuelle Bercot and Raphaël Quenard

Cut for animal cruelty for 2023 15 rated VoD release.

Summary Notes

François Sentinelle has two lives. By day he is the most famous police officer on Reunion Island, known for his harsh methods and flowery shirts, who chases criminals in his 4x4. But the rest of the time, he is also a charismatic singer.

UK: BBFC 15 rated for strong violence, bloody images, language, sex references, drug misuse for strong violence, bloody images, language, sex references, drug misuse after BBFC cuts:

• 2023 Amazon Media EU S.à r.l. VoD (rated 26/09/2023)

The BBFC commented:

The company removed a sequence in which cocks are caused to fight in a cruel manner.

Five Nights At Freddy's is a 2023 US horror by Emma Tammi
Starring Josh Hutcherson, Mary Stuart Masterson and Lucas Grant

A troubled security guard begins working at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. During his first night on the job, he realizes that the night shift won't be so easy to get through. Pretty soon he will unveil what actually happened at Freddy's.

A few years ago the BBFC received a few complaints about The Woman in Black being to scary for its BBFC 12/12A rating. Ever since, the BBFC have been out of step with the rest of the world by overrating any slightly scary US PG-13 rated film with a rather harsh 15 rating in the UK.

Now it seems that this overrating has overstepped the mark in Northern Ireland. Belfast Council looks set to overrule the BBFC 15 rating for Five Nights At Freddy's and replacing it with a 15A rating to match the Irish film censor's assessment of the film.

Michael McAdam, managing director of the Movie House chain in Northern Ireland, made the request to the council for the 15A classification. Last year, he set a precedent after making a similar request for The Batman.

After initially refusing the request for The Batman, the council permitted the use of the 15A in Northern Ireland for the first time.

The current decision has to be ratified at the full council, which will not convene until Wednesday, November 1. The decision is also subject to a call-in, where the council reviews decisions, and could be delayed further. This means there is some legal peril in presenting the film to the public before a final decision.

The Belfast City Council decision means that not only Movie House cinemas are able to show the film with a 15A classification, but any cinema in the Belfast council area that notifies City Hall in advance.

Michael McAdam argued for a 15A rating in a letter to the council:

The BBFC states on its website that statutory powers over film remain with the local councils, which can overrule any of the BBFC's decisions on appeal, including altering the age ratings for films shown in their area.

Over recent years there has been a significant shift in the way families consume film and parents prefer to be the decision makers. Parents find it hard to understand why they have the power to choose a 12A film for their children but not a 15 rated film.

This can cause frustration and embarrassment for those who arrive at the cinema and are then prevented from seeing the film. We anticipate that this will be the case for Five Nights at Freddy's, which has been awarded a 15 certificate in the UK.

Speaking after the council meeting, SDLP councillor and chair of the licensing committee Gary McKeown, said the reclassification by the council highlights the need for BBFC to be more flexible in its approach to classification.

This is the second time that Belfast City Council has changed a 15 rating to a 15A, but we need to be clear that the council is not a film classification body -- that responsibility lies with BBFC, so they need to act now to remove the need for councils to have to step in by introducing a more appropriate model that gives parents their place, and also recognises the role of steaming which doesn't impose any such restrictions in reality.

Versions

uncut run: 109:15s pal: 104:53s

Belfast 15A

UK: Uncut and BBFC 15 rated for strong threat, violence: 2023 Universal Pictures cinema release (rated 04/10/2023) Belfast: Uncut and 15A rated by Belfast City Council: 2023 Universal Pictures cinema release Ireland: Uncut and IFCO 15A rated for supernatural horror with jump scares and some scenes of bloody violence, injury detail depicted, theme of child abduction: 2023 Universal cinema release (rated 11/10/2023) titled Five Nights at Freddy's US: Uncut and MPA PG-13 rated for strong violent content, bloody images and language: 2023 release (rated 26/07/2023) titled Five Nights at Freddy's

Update: 15A rating confirmed

2nd November 2023

The 15A rating was confirmed by Belfast City Council and a few dasy after release the BBFC 15 rating was duly replaced by a local 15A rating.