Case studies
Welcome to the BBFC case studies. Written by BBFC staff, our case studies explore why a film has a particular age rating, if it was cut, or even banned.
Please note that all our case studies and files are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,) without prior written permission from the BBFC. You should email us if you wish to reproduce any of these materials.
We provide case studies for all films we introduce as part of our longstanding relationship with IntoFilm. We no longer classify video games but there are some video games case studies which offer a historical view of how we classified some well-known video games.
If you are researching a specific title and would like access to the BBFC's paper file archive this may be possible depending on the age of the work. If you would like to arrange a visit to our archives then please get in touch with us via email.
Beautiful Boy
Depictions of drug misuse and frequent verbal references to drugs presented challenging classification issues for compliance officers viewing Beautiful Boy.
Portrait Of A Lady On Fire
Explore the 15 classification of Celine Sciamma's Portrait Of A Lady On Fire.
Mean Girls (2024)
The 2024 adaptation of teen drama Mean Girls features some sexual content at 12A. Read more about how we considered the issue of sex when classifying the film.
Tár
Todd Field's brooding slow-burn drama in which a renowned musician's life unravels as her history of abusive behaviour is unearthed presents some complex and challenging themes for classification.
Words On Bathroom Walls
Learn more about how we classify the topic of mental health at 12A in this case study on the US drama, Words On Bathroom Walls.
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish
Compliance officers will consider the overall tone and impact of a film when assessing issues of threat and horror. Read about threat and scary scenes in Puss In Boots: The last Wish, which we classified at PG.
