Originator: S Holder
Tel: 2474720
Report of the Head of Licensing and Registration
Report to the Licensing Sub Committee
Date: 17 October 2011
Subject: Application for the Certification of Films
Electoral Wards Affected: Specific Implications For:
Hyde Park & Woodhouse Equality and Diversity
Community Cohesion
Ward Members consulted Narrowing the Gap (referred to in report)
Executive Summary To advise Members of an application for the certification of films to be shown at the Leeds international Film Festival between the 3 November and 20 November 2011. This festival is to be held at various cinemas in the Leeds area and the Leeds Town Hall.
1.0 Purpose of the Report
1.1 This report informs Members with the background, history and issues of an application made under the Licensing Act 2003 (“the Act”) for the certification of films that do not currently have a BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) certification. Finally, this report informs Members of the options available to them when considering an application for the certification of films.
2.0 Background Information
2.1 The Licensing Act 2003 applies to premises which provide film exhibitions. At present there are a total of 7 cinemas and 101 other premises licensed for the exhibition of films in the Leeds District.
2.2 The majority of films shown in these premises will carry a Certificate from the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), the categories of which are as follows:
Category `U’ Passed for general exhibition
Category `PG’ Passed for general exhibition but parents/guardians are advised that the film contains materials they might prefer children under fifteen years not to see.
Category `12’ Passed as suitable only for exhibition to persons of twelve years and over. When a programme includes a `12’ film, no persons under twelve years can be admitted.
Category ‘12a’ Passed as suitable for children under the age of 12 if accompanied by an adult.
Category `15’ Passed as suitable only for exhibition to persons of fifteen years and over. when a programme includes a `15’ film, no persons under fifteen years can be admitted.
Category `18’ Passed as suitable only for exhibition to adults. When a programme includes an `18; film no persons under the age of eighteen years can be admitted.
2.3 In addition to licensing premises for film exhibitions, the Licensing Authority has a duty under Section 20 of the Licensing Act 2003 to categories a film which is absent of a certificate from a film classification body such as the BBFC. The Licensing Authority may also reject or modify a film which has received a Certificate from the BBFC.
3.0 Main Issues
3.1 A request has been received from the Leeds Young People’s Film Festival Programme Manager for the certification of films which have not been certified by a film classification body in the United Kingdom.
3.2 A synopsis of the films is attached hereto for Members attention at Appendix ‘A’. This includes suggested categories based on the content of the films.
3.3 Attached at Appendix ‘B’ is a copy of the program for the festival which gives a more detailed description of the films contents.
3.4 All premises which will present films are licensed under the Licensing Act 2003 to show films.
4.0 HISTORY
4.1 This will be the 25 th year of the Leeds International Film Festival.
5.0 Implications for Council Policy and Governance
5.1 There are no implications for Council Policy and Governance in respect of determining this application.
6.0 Recommendations
6.2 Members are requested to consider this request for the certification of the films as attached hereto.
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Appendix A
Leeds International Film Festival 2011, 3rd -20th November List of all features screening that do no have certification from the British Board of Film Classification with descriptions of any contentious content and recommended certification.
22 nd of May Belgian drama about a terrorist bombing in a shopping centre including some violence and strong language. Recommended Cert 15.
Aitá A beautiful meditation on history and identity set in a 13th century Basque fortress. No contentious material. Recommended Cert PG.
Best Intentions Family drama from Romania. Some strong language. Recommended Cert 15.
Finisterrae An oddball fantasy following the wanderings of two ghosts. No contentious material. Recommended Cert PG.
Flowers of Evil Political and romantic drama with clever use of revolutionary internet footage. Some strong language. Recommended Cert 15.
Forest Enigmatic Hungarian drama linking strange and unexplained dramatic vignettes. Some strong language and discussion of sexual situations. Recommended Cert 15.
Fuerteventura A fascinating, cryptic psychological meditation on grief, intimacy and identity. Includes some strong language and discreet sex scenes. Recommended Cert 15.
The Gravedigger Experimental film based on a 19th century short story about a gravedigger in a town hit by the plague. Some disturbing imagery. Recommended Cert 12A.
Heat Wave A French drama about the intersecting lives of various characters in one afternoon. Includes some strong language and violence. Recommended Cert 15.
My Twentieth Century Surreal odyssey following the different paths of separated Hungarian identical twins. Includes some strong language and violence. Recommended Cert 15.
Nana A gentle and poetic evocation of a rural childhood. Includes footage of the slaughter of a pig on a farm. Recommended Cert 12A.
New Jerusalem Drama about a crisis of faith for a soldier returning from Afghanistan. Includes strong language. Recommended Cert 15.
The Other Side of Sleep
3 An atmospheric small town murder story. Includes strong language and footage of a dead body. Recommended Cert 15.
The Prize A powerful political drama told through the eyes of a seven-year-old girl. No contentious material. Recommended Cert PG.
A Quiet Life A nail-biting Italian crime drama. Includes strong language and violence. Recommended Cert 18.
The River Used to be a Man Atmospheric survival tale of a German traveller lost in Africa. Some strong language. Recommended Cert 15.
Small Town Murder Songs Redemptive tale of a Mennonite police chief struggling with a violent past. Includes strong language and violence. Recommended Cert 18.
Summer of Goliath Innovative blend of documentary and fiction set in a rural Mexican community. Includes strong language. Recommended Cert 15.
Toomelah A tough and uncompromising portrait of a remote Aboriginal community. Features strong language and violence. Recommended Cert 18.
Mars A rotoscope-sci-fi-slacker-romantic comedy. Includes strong language. Recommended Cert 15.
Architects of Harmonic Rooms & Records-Moving Image Archive Short experimental music documentaries including one with archive horror movie footage. Recommended Cert 18.
Awake, My Soul: The Story of the Sacred Harp Documentary on a powerful form of American spiritual music. No contentious material. Recommended Cert U.
The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye Documentary on the love story of counter culture icons Genesis P Orridge and Lady Jaye. Includes strong language. Recommended Cert 15.
Convento Documentary on an eccentric family of Dutch artists living in an old monastery. Includes robotic sculptures reanimating animal skeletons. Recommended Cert PG.
The Crisis of Civilisation Documentary critique of global capitalism with author Dr Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed. No contentious material. Recommended Cert PG.
Daughters of Malakeh Intimate documentary portraying the role of women in Iranian family life. No contentious material. Recommended Cert PG.
Eco-Pirate: The Story of Paul Watson Profile of the controversial environmental crusader Captain Paul Watson. Includes some strong language. Recommended Cert 15.
4 El Sicario Room 164 Documentary on a masked Juarez hitman filmed in a motel room. Includes strong language and descriptions of violent acts. Recommended Cert 15.
The Fania All Stars Live in Africa Live salsa concert film from 1974. No contentious material but screening in a club venue for over 18s only.
The First Rasta Documentary portrait of the man who formed the first Rastafarian community. Includes footage of drug use. Recommended Cert 15.
Futures Market Documentary critique of commercialism and spirituality. No contentious material. Recommended Cert PG.
Gnarr Documentary on the rise of an iconoclastic comedian turned Reykjavik mayoral candidate. Includes some strong language. Recommended Cert 15.
Grant Morrison: Talking with Gods Documentary on acclaimed comic book artist Grant Morrison. Includes strong language and discussion of adult comics. Recommended Cert 15.
Happy People: A Year in the Tiger Siberian wilderness documentary. No contentious material. Recommended Cert PG.
I am Jesus Documentary profile of three characters claiming to be the second coming of Christ. Includes some strong language. Recommended Cert 15.
Never Make it Home Documentary on the final tour of punk-bluegrass band Split Lip Rayfield. Includes strong language. Recommended Cert 15.
The Last Tribe Documentary account of the Leeds Jewish Community’s rags to riches story. No Contentious material. Recommended Cert PG.
The Night Watchman Documentary about the nightwatchman at a cemetery. No contentious material. Recommended Cert PG.
PressPausePlay Survey of the arts in the wake of the recent digital revolution. Includes some strong language. Recommended Cert 15.
Refugee All Stars Documentary story of six Sierra Leonan musicians, forced to live as refugees. No contentious material. Recommended Cert PG.
Scrapper Documentary on survivalist outlaws scavenging hardware from bomb test sites. Includes strong language and drug use. Recommended Cert 18.
Shut Up Little Man: An Audio Misadventure Documentary story of an oddball audio recording. Includes lots of strong language. Recommended Cert 18.
5 The Substance - Albert Hofmann's LSD Documentary history of LSD and its discoverer, Albert Hoffmann. Includes footage of drug use. Recommended Cert 15.
Think Global, Act Rural Documentary survey of organic food production and sustainable agriculture. No contentious material. Recommended Cert PG.
Warren Ellis: Captured Ghosts Documentary on influential comic book artist Warren Ellis. Includes strong language and discussion of adult comics. Recommended Cert 15.
Yadig? Records presents Serious Sam Barrett and Folk Films Showcase Short films about folk music. No contentious material but screening in a club venue for over 18s only.
Free Radicals: A History of Experimental Cinema Documentary history of experimental cinema. No contentious material. Recommended Cert PG.
Juan of the Dead A new revolution is about shake up Cuba! Zombie comedy, with brains…Contains strong bloody violence, recommended certificate 18.
Bellflower A cult slice of American indie cinema about love, violence, and flamethrowers. Contains strong language, violence and sexual content. Recommended certificate 18.
Marianne The Swedes go Japanese in the tale of a vengeful woman haunting a guilt-ridden man. Contains infrequent strong language and supernatural themes. Recommended certificate 15.
Masks A German giallo in the style of Dario Argento. Contains strong bloody violence. Recommended certificate 18.
Monster Brawl Who’d win in a fight between Frankenstein and a werewolf? You’re about to find out! Contains comic staged wrestling, and frequent gore. Recommended certificate 18.
The Last Screening Bridges the arthouse/horror cinema gap, like Peeping Tom if directed by Haneke. Contains strong bloody violence. Recommended certificate 18.
Little Deaths Three short horror films on the theme of sex and death. Contains frequent strong horror and sex scenes. Recommended certificate 18.
Inbred Young offenders get more than they bargained for in a remote Yorkshire village in this black horror comedy. Contains strong bloody horror and strong language. Recommended certificate 18.
Sennenntuntschi A remote Swiss mountain community is thrown into confusion at the arrival of a strange woman, whom they believe is cursed. Contains gory violence and scenes of a sexual nature. Recommended certificate 18.
Blind Alley A dancer fights for her life against vampires in an all-night laundrette. Contains strong bloody violence. Recommended certificate 18.
6 Exit Humanity A zombie period drama set just after the American Civil War. Contains strong bloody violence. Recommended certificate 18.
The Divide Trapped in the basement of their apartment block following a nuclear attack, 8 survivors turn on each other in this Lord of the Flies-esque thriller. Contains strong bloody violence. Recommended certificate 18.
Shame Acclaimed new British drama about a man’s sex addiction, screening first at London Film Festival then released nationwide in February 2012. Nudity and strong sex scenes but not graphic. Recommended cert 18.
The Fatherless Austrian drama about the reunion of sons and daughters from a commune family, screening first at London Film Festival. Some strong language. Recommended cert 15.
Journals of Musan Prize-winning Far Eastern drama about a North Korean man’s struggle to integrate into the South. Some strong violence. Recommended cert 15.
Mitsuko Delivers Gentle Japanese comedy about a pregnant woman’s mission to be a good neighbour.
My Magic Drama from Singapore about a single dad looks to give up drinking and his bartender job in order to impress his son and find work as a magician. Recommended cert 12.
Sound of Noise Swedish comedy musical about outlaw musicians who take over a city. Some strong language. Recommended cert 15.
We Have a Pope Italian comedy about a newly elected Pope who has a panic attack and refuses to take on his new job. Recommended cert 12.
The Ghost Cat and the Mysterious Shamisen Classic Japanese thriller from the 1930s, some mild horror. Recommended cert 15.
Let the Bullets Fly Huge box office hit in China, a dark comedy action adventure, showing first at London Film Festival. Recommended cert 15.
Snowtown Violent drama about the John Bunting serial killings in Australia, showing first at London Film Festival and released nationwide in November. Awaiting BBFC certification, recommended 18.
The Whisperer in Darkness American adaptation of an HP Lovecraft short story, a sci fi adventure. Recommended cert 15.
Children Who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below Japanese animation about a girl and her teacher who search for their dead loved ones in another world. Recommended cert 12.
Colorful Japanese animation about the rebirth of a sinful spirit. Recommended cert 15.
Detroit Metal City 7 Japanese comedy action film about a pop star who becomes a heavy metal singer, shown in Leeds before in 2008. Recommended cert 15.
Karate-Robo Zaborgar Japanese action film about a transforming robot. Some comic violence. Recommended cert 15.
Milocrorze: A Love Story A Japanese romantic comedy about men’s failures with women, in three parts. Recommended cert 15.
Smuggler Violent black comedy from Japan about a failed actor who is forced to play the part of an escaped assassin. Recommended cert 18.
Symbol Surreal comedy from Japan about a man who wakes up to find himself trapped in a giant empty room. Recommended cert 15.
Yakuza Weapon Japanese horror film about a gangster whose arms and legs are replaced with weapons, shown already in London, to be released on video in November in the UK. Recommended cert 15.
Inni Concert film featuring Icelandic band Sigur Ross. Recommended cert 12.
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