The BBFC has released a new advert to help increase awareness of the meaning of the 12A cinema rating.
In 2013, the BBFC found that only 75 per cent of the British public understood that a film rated 12A was generally suitable for children aged 12 and over, but a younger child might see the film if accompanied by an adult.
The BBFC saw a rise in the number of 12A films released during 2013, with 87 more films classified 12A at that level compared to 2012. The BBFC also carried out their latest large scale public consultation in 2013, which showed 92 per cent of recent film viewers agreed with BBFC age ratings for films and videos they had seen recently.
BBFC Director David Cooke said:
“The 12A certificate is twelve years old this year and is still our newest age rating. We want to remind parents that the certificate was designed to help them decide if a film at the 12 level is suitable for their child. Children develop at different rates and while one child may understand the issues in a particular 12A film, another child may find the film distressing. Parents can use the detailed BBFCinsight we provide for every film we classify to see if a 12A film is suitable for their child.”
The advert reminds parents to check the BBFCinsight for every 12A film before they take a child to see it. BBFCinsight explains the key classification issues in a film and is particularly useful for parents. Click here to visit the BBFCinsight website.
The BBFC 12A advert will be in cinemas over the Summer months.
For more information contact Catherine Anderson at canderson@bbfc.co.uk.