Motion picture content rating system


A motion picture content rating system is an organization designated to classify films based on their suitability for audiences due to their treatment of issues such as sex, violence, or substance abuse; their use of profanity; or other matters typically deemed unsuitable for children or adolescents. Most countries have some form of rating system that issues determinations variously known as certifications, classifications, certificates, or ratings. Age recommendations, of either an advisory or restrictive capacity, are often applied in lieu of censorship; in some jurisdictions movie theaters may have a legal obligation to enforce restrictive ratings.
In countries such as Australia and Singapore, an official government body decides on ratings; in other countries such as the United States, it is done by industry committees with little if any official government status. In most countries, however, films that are considered morally offensive have been censored, restricted, or banned. Even if the film rating system has no legal consequences, and a film has not explicitly been restricted or banned, there are usually laws forbidding certain films, or forbidding minors to view them.
The influence of specific factors in deciding a rating varies from country to country. In countries such as the United States, films with strong sexual content tend to be restricted to older viewers, though those same films are very often considered suitable for all ages in countries such as France and Germany. In contrast, films with violent content which would be rated leniently in the United States and Australia are often subject to high ratings and sometimes even censorship in countries such as Germany and Finland.
Other factors may or may not influence the classification process, such as being set within a non-fictional historical context, whether the film glorifies violence or drug use, whether said violence or drug use is carried out by the protagonist, with whom the viewer should empathize, or by the antagonist. In Germany, for example, films depicting explicit war violence in a real war context are handled more leniently than films with purely fictional settings.
A film may be produced with a particular rating in mind. It may be re-edited if the desired rating is not obtained, especially to avoid a higher rating than intended. A film may also be re-edited to produce a different version for other countries.

Comparison table

A comparison of current film rating systems, showing age on the horizontal axis. Note however that the specific criteria used in assigning a classification can vary widely from one country to another. Thus a color code or age range cannot be directly compared from one country to another.
Key:
Through its Advisory Commission of Cinematographic Exhibition the National Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts issues ratings for films based on the following categories:
The Classification Board and Classification Review Board are government-funded organisations which classify all films that are released for public exhibition.
Films intended to inform, educate or instruct or concerned with sport, religion or music are exempt from classification provided they do not contain material that would result in an "M" rating or higher if submitted for classification.

Austria

Motion pictures are rated by the Austrian Board of Media Classification for the Federal Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture. The recommendations made by the ABMC are generally not legally binding and there are nine sets of state laws on the cinema sector with different age provisions. The only exception is in the case of "16" rated films, since under Austrian law there is a legal age restriction on certain types of content i.e. discrimination, sexual abuse, glorification of violence etc. In addition to the ABMC's age recommendations, in the state of Vienna children under the age of 6 are only permitted to attend public film performances if they are accompanied.
The AMBC issues age recommendation from the following categories:
On January 8, 2020, Belgium adopted the [|Dutch Kijkwijzer] classification system. Belgium had previously used a basic two-tier system, in place since 1 September 1920. Until January 2020, classifications for films publicly exhibited in Belgium were issued by the Inter-Community Commission for Film Rating. Films were prohibited to minors under the age of 16 unless passed by the commission. There is no mandatory rating system for video formats but 90% of video distribution abides by the voluntary Belgium Video Federation. It was basically the same as the system for theatrical exhibition, but also provided a "12" rating. Under Kijkwijzer, the distributor fills out a questionnaire about the content of the film and an age category is automatically assigned. The new system is fully advisory, and carries no mandatory restrictions. In the French and German-speaking communities, the system is known as Cinecheck.
The age categories are as follows:
All films that are exhibited in public or released on a home video format in Brazil must be submitted for classification to the advisory rating, which is run by the Brazilian Ministry of Justice. Anyone below the film's minimum age can watch it if accompanied by the parent or guardian who is at least 18 years old, except for those rated "Not recommended for ages under 18", which, by law, are strictly prohibited from viewing by people under 18. Unlike many countries, the ClassInd does not have any legal right to ban, demand cuts or refuse to rate any movie.
The ClassInd uses the following system:
There are also operational descriptions of attenuating and aggravating elements that can interfere on the final rating.

Bulgaria

The Bulgarian film rating system is defined in the Film Industry Act of 2003 and administered by the National Film Rating Committee.
Film ratings in Canada are a provincial responsibility, and each province has its own legislation, rules and regulations regarding rating, exhibition and admission. Ratings are required for theatrical exhibition, but not all provinces require classification for home video. In the past there was a wide range of rating categories and practices in the various provinces; however, the seven rating systems—with the exception of Quebec—now all use categories and logos derived from the Canadian Home Video Rating System.

Classifications used outside Quebec

The categories are mostly identical to the CHVRS with a few minor variations. In the provinces that require classification of video formats, supply of 14A and 18A films is restricted to customers above those ages. In the case of theater exhibition, children are admitted to 14A and 18A films in the Manitoba and Maritime provinces if accompanied by an adult, although admittance is restricted to children over the age of 14 in the case of 18A films. Likewise, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario also admit children to 14A and 18A films if accompanied, but do not impose an age restriction on 18A films. The Maritimes and British Columbia also provide an "A" classification for adult content. Some provinces, such as Nova Scotia, reserve the right to prohibit films altogether.
In general, the categories are:
In Quebec the provincial Ministry of Culture and Communications rates all films and videos; its purview devolves from the Cinema Act. In some cases the Ministry may refuse to provide a classification, effectively banning the film. Educational and sports films are exempt from classification.
Films are classified by the Council of Cinematographic Classification which is a central agency under the Ministry of Education. In 2002 legislation was enacted which reversed the ban on all 1,090 films that had previously been banned in Chile.
The current age ratings are:
The age ratings may also be supplemented by the following content categories:
Pornographic films may only be exhibited at venues licensed for that purpose. Minors are not admitted to films with pornographic or excessively violent content.

China

China does not have a rating system. Only films that are passed as "suitable for all ages" are released although some exhibitors have introduced informal ratings. A March 2017 effective law on film does require non-violations of the lawful rights and interests of minors or harming the physical and psychological health of minors. However, in an interview with China Central Television in the same month, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television's film chief Mr. Zhang Hongsen said it was inaccurate for the media to label the guideline for minors as manual/euphemistic classification and it was a misinterpretation or over-interpretation of the new law.

Colombia

As of June 22, 2005, the Ministry of Culture issued its new rating system. The classifications are:
In Denmark, the Media Council for Children and Young People currently rates films. Films do not have to be submitted for a rating and in such instances must be labelled a "15". Children aged 7 and above may attend any performance—including those restricted to older audiences—if they are accompanied by an adult.
Film classification in Estonia is regulated by the Child Welfare Act.
Films in Finland are classified by the National Audiovisual Institute. A minor up to 3 years younger than the age limit is permitted to see a film in a cinema when accompanied by an adult, except for 18-rated films. Films with an age rating may contain an additional marker for violence, sex, fear, or substance abuse. The ratings are as follows:
Prior to showing in theaters, a distribution certificate must be obtained from the Ministry of Culture. The Minister will decide which certificate to issue based on a recommendation by the classification of the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée. In some cases, films may be classified as "pornographic films or those containing an incitement to violence" or completely prohibited from screening. A certificate will be granted from the following:
The Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle der Filmwirtschaft has a film ratings system under which films are classified. All the ratings contain the phrase "gemäß §14 JuSchG", signifying that they are legally binding for minors. Cinemas may legally exhibit films without a classification but minors are prohibited from such screenings.
The FSK rating also limits the time of the day in which the movie may be aired on free-to-air TV stations to a time frame between 22:00 or 23:00 and 6:00. Stations are permitted to broadcast films not approved for audiences under 12 at their own discretion.

Greece

All publicly released films must be submitted to the Youth Committee for classification. There are four categories:
Films intended for public exhibition have to be submitted to the Director of Film, Newspaper and Article Administration, who is the Film Censorship Authority under the Ordinance, for approval. Films approved for public exhibition are then either classified or exempted from classification.
Of the four levels, Categories I, II, and II are unrestricted. Only Category III is a restricted category and regulated by the government.

Hungary

Hungarian ratings are decided by the National Media and Infocommunications Authority :
The current one is the third motion picture rating system in Hungary. The first system existed between 1965 and 2004, and was administered by the Ministry for National Cultural Heritage and its predecessors. Its categories were "Without age restriction", "Not recommended below age of 14", "Above age of 16 only", and "Above age of 18 only". A second system was introduced in 2004 which was overhauled in 2011 in favour of the current system. Its categories—given by the National Film Office—were "Without age restriction", "Parental guidance suggested below age of 12", "Not recommended below age of 16", "Not recommended below age of 18", and "For adults only".

Iceland

Since July 1, 2006, FRÍSK has replaced the Kvikmyndaskoðun system in Iceland. In October 2013, FRÍSK announced that it was adopting a new system similar to the [|Netherlands' Kijkwijzer] at least through 2016. The Icelandic ratings system also provides an "18" rating in addition to the Kijkwijzer ratings. Under Icelandic law, minors aged 14-years-old and over may be admitted to a film carrying a higher age rating if accompanied by an adult.
In India, Central Board of Film Certification is responsible for certifying films meant for public exhibition.
Motion pictures shown in Indonesia must undergo reviewing by the Indonesian Film Censorship Board. Other than issuing certificates, the LSF/IFCB also reviews and issues permits for film-related advertising, such as movie trailers and posters. LSF has the authority to cut scenes from films. Films passed for exhibition are awarded one of the following classifications:
All films that are exhibited in public or released on a home video format must be submitted for classification to the Irish Film Classification Office.
In Italy the rating system of the films is currently disciplined by the law n° 161 of 21 April 1962. All films aimed to be shown in Italy are classified by the Committee for the Theatrical Review of the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities into one of the following categories:
Before 1962, the Royal Decree n° 1848 of 6 November 1926 established that the films that obtained the clearance could be classified for all ages or forbidden to children under 16 years.

Jamaica

Film classification in Jamaica is a requirement of the Cinematograph Act of 1913, which also established the Cinematograph Authority.
A Japanese film rating regulator known as Eirin has a film classification system under which films are classified into one of four categories. The categories have been in use since 1 May 1998.
In Kazakhstan, films are rated by the Committee for Culture of the Ministry for Culture and Information.
In Latvia it is the duty of the producer of a film or distributor to assign a rating according to a pre-determined set of criteria. All publicly exhibited films, visual recordings and films broadcast over television and electronic networks must be classified.
Historically, film censorship in Malaysia was carried out by police under the Theatre Ordinance 1908. In 1954 the Film Censorship Board was created to censor films distributed across Malaysia in accordance with the Cinematograph Films Act 1952, and later the Film Censorship Act 2002. Malaysia's motion picture rating system was introduced in 1953, initially classifying films either for General Audiences or For Adults Only, and in 1996 these classifications were changed to U and four different 18 categories. In mid-April 2010, the four 18 categories were deprecated, and was simplified to just 18. In late 2008, the PG13 classification was introduced, which was changed to P13 in 2012.
Upon viewing the board will assign one of three categories to the film:
Should a film be approved, the Board then assigns the film a classification. As of 2012 the ratings are:
Film in the Maldives are classified by the National Bureau of Classification. Certificates issued are based on the following categories:
As of 2012, films in Malta are classified by the Film Board in accordance with the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts Act. As part of an overhaul in 2013 the "14" and "16" age classifications were replaced by "12A" and "15"; the "PG" rating was redefined while "U", "12" and "18" were retained in their existing form.
If the film is deemed "fit for exhibition" it will be awarded one of the following classifications:
The General Directorate of Radio, Television and Cinematography is the issuer of ratings for motion pictures. The RTC is an agency of the Department of State. It has its own classification system, as follows:
In the Netherlands, the Kijkwijzer system is used, which is executed by the Netherlands Institute for the Classification of Audiovisual Media. Under Dutch law children are admitted to films carrying an age rating if accompanied by an adult except in the case of "16" and "18" rated films.
Mostly, these icons are used along with other symbols, displaying if a movie contains violence, sexual content, frightening scenes, drug or alcohol abuse, discrimination, or coarse language. These symbols are also used in television channels broadcasting under license issued in the Netherlands.

New Zealand

The Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993 gives the Office of Film and Literature Classification the power to classify publications into three categories: unrestricted, restricted, or "objectionable". With a few exceptions, films, videos, DVDs and restricted computer games must carry a label before being offered for supply or exhibited to the public.
In 2017 the Office of Film and Literature Classification created a special RP18 rating for online content in response to the Netflix television series, 13 Reasons Why. The new classification reflects concerns raised with 17 and 18 year olds in New Zealand being at a higher risk of suicide. The current ratings are:
In order for a film or video game to be released in New Zealand, they must:
The National Film and Video Censors Board classifies films, videos, DVDs, and VCDs. Classifications carrying an age rating are legally restricted, although the "15" and "18" classifications do not apply to people below 2 years of age. The categories are:
The Norwegian Media Authority sets the age limits on films to be exhibited in Norway. Films not submitted to the Media Authority for classification carry a mandatory age rating of "18".
The following age limits apply to films to be shown in cinemas:
The Media Authority has no power to ban films but must not classify films which they consider contravene Norwegian criminal law.

Philippines

In the Philippines, motion pictures, along with television programs, are rated by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, a special agency of the Office of the President. As of 2012, the Board uses six classification ratings.
Ratings in Poland are not set by any board or advisory body. Prior to 1989 the applicable age ratings were "no age limit", "over 7", "over 12", "over 15" and "over 18" and were set by The General Committee of Cinematography. Since 1989 there is no official classification system, with age ratings being self-prescriptive and set by the distributors. In case of television, the supervisory body – Krajowa Rada Radiofonii i Telewizji can impose fines upon those responsible for improper rating of a broadcast, or lack of it.

Portugal

Movies are rated in Portugal by the Comissão de Classificação de Espectáculos of the Ministry of Culture. In cinemas the ratings are mandatory whereas for video releases they are merely advisory, except in the case of pornographic content. Children under the age of 3 were previously prohibited from public film performances, but a special category was introduced for this age group when the classification system was overhauled in 2014. A category for 14-year-olds was also introduced, and the lowest age rating was dropped from 4 years of age to 3. The categories are the following:
Ratings in Romania are set by the National Center of Cinematography .
Since 2012 the rating appears inside circles, which indicate age restrictions followed by a plus, and appears in most shows, including TV and Internet shows in Russia.
The indication shown:
Film classification in Saudi Arabia is administered by the General Commission for Audiovisual Media after the reintroduction of film theatres in the country as of 2017. The categories are:
Film classification in Singapore was introduced on 1 July 1991 and comes under the jurisdiction of the Board of Film Censors, currently part of the Info-communications Media Development Authority. There were three ratings originally: G, PG and R. Prior to then films were either approved or effectively banned. Since then, there have been several alterations to the ratings over the years. In September 1991, a Restricted rating was introduced to replaced the previous R-rating so as to allow the screening of certain art-house films which would otherwise have been banned without said rating, with an increased age restriction set at 21 years of age. The R rating has since been replaced by NC16, M18 and R21. A PG13 rating, introduced in 2011, is the latest rating to be introduced. The G, PG and PG13 ratings are advisory while NC16, M18 and R21 carry age restrictions. Video ratings are mostly the same as the cinema ratings, except only go up to M18. Some titles, such as documentaries, children's programmes and sports programmes may be exempt from classification on video, but all titles must be classified for public theatrical exhibition.
The categories are:
In exceptional cases, a film may be refused classification if it either exceeds the permissible limits of the R21 classification, contains any material that undermines or is likely to undermine public order, or is likely to be prejudicial to national interest.

South Africa

In South Africa, films are classified by the Film and Publication Board. Distributors and exhibitors are legally compelled to comply with the age ratings. All broadcasters, cinemas and distributors of DVD/video and computer games must comply with the following:
There are also sub-descriptors used with some of the ratings:
The Korea Media Rating Board in Seoul divides licensed films into the following categories:
All films to be commercially released in Spain in any medium must be submitted to the ICAA. Classifications are advisory except for X-rated films, which are restricted to specially licensed venues. A supplementary classification, "Especialmente Recomendada para la Infancia", is sometimes appended to the lowest two classifications. Another supplementary classification, "Especialmente recomendada para el fomento de la igualdad de género", is sometimes appended to any of the classifications except the last one.
The Swedish Media Council is a government agency with the aims to reduce the risk of harmful media influences among minors and to empower minors as conscious media users. The classification bestowed on a film should not be viewed as recommendations on the suitability for children, as the law the council operates under only mandates them to assess the relative risk to children's well-being. It is not a legal requirement to submit a film to the Media Council. The councils classification only applies to public exhibition, and the law does not require classification of home media.
The following categories are used:
Switzerland has adopted Germany's Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle der Filmwirtschaft. Under Swiss law, however, children up to two years younger than the age recommendations will be admitted if accompanied by a person invested with parental authority.

Taiwan

From 1994 until 2015, the Government Information Office classified films into four categories pursuant to its issued : The "Parental Guidance" rating previously prohibited viewing by children under the age of 12 and required adolescents aged 12–17 to be accompanied by an adult. In 2015, the "Parental Guidance" rating was further divided into two categories: one that prohibits children under the age of 12 and one that prohibits adolescents under the age of 15.
A motion picture rating system was proposed in the Film and Video Act of 2007, and was passed on December 20, 2007 by the Thai military-appointed National Legislative Assembly, replacing laws which had been in place since 1930. The draft law was met with resistance from the film industry and independent filmmakers. Activists had hoped for a less-restrictive approach; however, films are still subject to censorship, or can be banned from release altogether if the film is deemed to "undermine or disrupt social order and moral decency, or might impact national security or the pride of the nation".
The ratings were put into effect in August 2009. They are as follows:
In Turkey, movies to be shown in cinemas are rated by the Evaluation and Classification Board of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. All films to be made commercially available must be classified, except in the case of educational films which are labeled as "for educational purposes" instead. The board also has the power to refuse classification in extreme cases ; in this case, the movie will be banned with the exception of special artistic activities like fairs, festivals, feasts and carnivals.
The Ministry of Information of the United Arab Emirates classifies all films, which cinemas must abide by.
The British Board of Film Classification classifies films to be publicly exhibited in the United Kingdom, although statutory powers remain with local councils which can overrule any of the BBFC's decisions. Since 1984, the BBFC also classifies films made commercially available through a home video format. If the BBFC refuses a classification this effectively amounts to a ban. The BBFC's regulatory powers do not extend to the Internet, so a film they have banned on physical media can still be made available via streaming media/video on demand. Videos designed to inform, educate or instruct or concerned with sport, religion or music are exempt from classification; exempt films may be marked as "E", but this is not an official label.
The current BBFC system is:
Older video works still in circulation may still carry the deprecated Uc label, classifying the work as "Especially suitable for pre-school children".

United States

In the United States of America, film classification is a voluntary process with the ratings issued by the Motion Picture Association of America via the Classification and Rating Administration. The system was established in 1968, but the version listed below is the most recent revision, having been in effect since 1990. An unrated film is often informally denoted by "NR" in newspapers and so forth.
Age ratings are divided into several categories. The age that corresponds to the category and the level of enforcement is defined by municipality ordinances.
In the San Cristóbal municipality the following ratings apply:
In the Baruta municipality the following ratings apply:
In the Maracaibo municipality children under the age of two are not admitted to performances and the ratings are enforced:
All theatrical releases are screened by the Cinema Department of the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Travel of Vietnam to ensure suitability for public viewing. Regardless of the rating, some scenes may be altered or removed to comply with regulations. The classification was revised in January 2017, replacing the previous rating system.
Unlike the previous rating system, the current rating system does not have parental guidance and ratings other than P are considered to be restricted.