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British Board of Film Classification Annual Report and Accounts 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2020 This Annual Report is submitted to the Secretary of State for laying before Parliament pursuant to the provisions of Section 6 of the Video Recordings Act 1984. It is made up of two parts. The first is a report on the activities of the Board for the period and the second (contained in an annex) is the statutory report and financial statements of the company as approved by the Directors. The Annual Report does not form part of the statutory accounts of the company. © British Board of Film Classification 2021 The text of this document (this excludes, where present, the Royal Arms and all departmental or agency logos) may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium provided that it is reproduced accurately and not in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as © British Board of Film Classification and the document title specified. Where third party material has been identified, permission from the respective copyright holder must be sought. Please send any enquiries related to this publication to [email protected] You can download this publication from bbfc.co.uk British Board of Film Classification, 3 Soho Square, London W1D 3HD bbfc.co.uk Contents President’s introduction 4 Chief Executive’s report 6 Accountability – Introduction 8 Accountability – Ratings info & resources 8 Accountability – Feedback from the public 9 Accountability – Education 10 Accountability – Research 11 Accountability – Enforcement 11 BBFC non-statutory services 12 Music videos 13 Mobile Network Operators 14 U Universal 15 PG Parental Guidance 19 12A Cinema/12 Home Entertainment 23 15 29 18 33 R18 37 Video games 38 Unsuitable for classification 38 Legal issues 39 Statistics 41 Video Appeals Committee 45 Advisory Panel on Children’s Viewing 45 Membership of the APCV 46 Business review 46 Strategic report 47 Directors' report 49 Accounts 54 Photographic credits 73 President’s introduction The importance of what children tell us about our work We talked to teenagers about what they’ve viewed online during lockdown. Our findings showed that 47% of teens had seen content online that they wish they hadn’t been exposed to, and one in seven teens told us they see harmful videos every day. The research highlighted the need for children to feel safe and secure online, and for their parents to feel encouraged to talk with them about these experiences. On a lighter note, through research carried out by We Are Family and Panelbase, we also discovered what the favourite feel-good films are when families are stuck at home together. Patrick Swaffer – It was great to hear that there was President plenty of happy and positive viewing Providing valuable information for info remains at very high levels and going on during these difficult times families to choose what to watch – we are determined to continue to for children and families. be it in cinemas, on DVD or Blu-ray provide viewers with information to or on digital devices – is at the help them choose wisely even in the In September we released new core of the BBFC’s mission and most difficult circumstances. YouGov research looking into how has proved ever more important young people make their own during the past year. It helps provide Home-schooling resources and decisions about the content they guidance to families to ensure that children’s online experiences are viewing. We discussed this they are watching content that is during lockdown new research in our online panel right for them. In doing so, it helps us event Content, Empowerment and meet people’s demand for trusted, In April we launched a range Shaping the Future Generation with consistent age ratings, offline and of home-learning resources an expert panel hosted by journalist, online. We seek to repay that trust at in response to COVID-19. This former MP and BBFC Board member every turn. Our guidelines, informed initiative was welcomed by Caroline Gloria De Piero and which included by feedback from over 10,000 Dinenage, Minister for Digital and BBFC Chief Executive David Austin; people across the UK, make it clear Culture, and by children’s charities PSHE Association Senior Subject what audiences expect and what our from across the UK, including Specialist Jenny Fox; Head of standards are, and we apply these Barnardo’s, Childnet and the Editorial Standards at BBC Children’s principles to every classification PSHE Association. decision we make. Our education presentations, The coronavirus pandemic in 2020 through which, in ordinary years, has been enormously challenging we visit numerous schools and for everyone, and societies across colleges and speak to pupils and the world have adapted to living, students face to face, had to change working and socialising online more in 2020 as well. Like countless than ever before. The economic and teachers across the world, our team social impact of the virus have led switched to online seminars, which to rapid change in work practices, have proved to be very popular and social and family relationships appreciated throughout the UK. and, for many, personal priorities. And, of course, it has meant many We also launched Movie Night challenges for the BBFC which I with the BBFC activity packs for believe we have met successfully – families in lockdown. These include just one example of this is that much film suggestions, information about of our classification and education the age rating and ratings info, resources are now available online discussion points for the whole for teachers and, due to home family and fun, film-related activities learning, for parents as well. Support for children. for our classifications and ratings 4 President’s introduction Catherine McAllister; renowned published research into audience of Directors whose tenures came psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos; attitudes to domestic abuse to an end in 2020 – Sonita Alleyne and Noah, an Into Film Young depicted on screen. This research and Jonathan Teckman – and to Reporter. The event provided useful showed that the BBFC is getting it welcome our new colleagues – insight for parents and teachers on right when it comes to classification John Aalbers, Gloria De Piero and how they can help the children in decisions around content featuring Claire Tavernier. And our Advisory their lives make decisions that are domestic abuse and it has led us to Panel on Children’s Viewing (APCV) right for them. fine-tune the ways in which we label saw Margo Boye-Anawomah, domestic abuse in our ratings info. Professor Charlie Lewis, Professor I am thrilled by the plans we are Also in 2020, we worked with the Ann Phoenix and Honor Rhodes putting in place in 2021 to form Community Security Trust and the OBE step down from their roles and a BBFC Youth Panel, which will Samaritans who helped us refine our five new members join: Catherine comprise a group of 16–19 year policies around the classification of Doran, James Lockwood, Catherine olds working closely with the depictions of antisemitism, suicide, McAllister, Dr Helen Molden and BBFC to provide feedback on key and self-harm. Dr Linda Papadopoulos. I should classification issues, to represent very much like to thank all those the voice of young people, and to We continue to grow our social members of the Board of Directors ensure that we are meeting their media channels: in 2020 we reached and the APCV who completed their needs. I know that the BBFC will 11.5 million people on Facebook roles with us in 2020 for all their benefit from adding these important and 2.5 million on Twitter. On commitment and contributions to voices to our discussions and our Soundcloud, the BBFC Podcast has the work of the BBFC and to child classification work. had over 300,000 listens and over protection. And I know that the new 5,000 downloads since its inception. members will bring their expertise Reaching audiences, forging We celebrated our 100th podcast to what we do by supporting us in partnerships episode in January with film critic our continual, core aim of providing Mark Kermode, and in November the right protection for children in an We continue to maintain important we welcomed the BBC’s Ashanti increasingly online world. relationships with charity partners Omkar FRSA onto the podcast to and to forge new relationships, so discuss films to watch during Diwali. enhancing the guidance we provide. And in September, we launched The BBFC never operates in a our new website. With its focus on vacuum: through our relationships helping parents find what they need and partnerships, we benefit to know to make informed viewing immeasurably from the policy advice choices for their families, it’s certainly and input expert bodies provide our best yet. to us. For instance, in February 2020, following a collaboration with Finally, I should like to pay tribute to Women’s Aid and Respect UK, we our colleagues on the BBFC’s Board 5 Chief Executive’s report I am delighted to present the 2020 distributors we work with and who BBFC Annual Report and Accounts. agreed to supply their valuable content to us in ways that would This past year has been a year like enable us to watch it from our no other. The worldwide coronavirus homes rather than on our premises. pandemic has left no one and no COVID-19 has, of course, proven industry untouched. This includes difficult in many ways, but to me the BBFC: we have experienced it has demonstrated something of perhaps the toughest year in our great value: across the BBFC and 108-year history.