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.

Cat Person

Exploring themes of modern dating, gender roles and consent, Cat Person is classified at 15. In this case study we discuss the main classification issues.

How To Have Sex

Issues of consent and sexual violence are boldly but thoughtfully explored in Molly Manning Walker's debut drama, How To Have Sex.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Marvel's 25th instalment introduces the origin story of Shang-Chi, which we rated 12A. Find out more about this classification decision.

The Jungle Book (1967, 2016)

Disney released a live-action adaptation The Jungle Book in 2016, which received a higher BBFC classification than the animated original from 1967. This case study explores the classification issues in both films.

Room

Room presents an intimate portrait of a mother and son whose lives are confined within four walls. Adapted from the novel of the same name by Emma Donoghue, complex themes and harrowing scenes resulted in a 15 classification.

Skyfall

Skyfall is the 23rd film in the James Bond franchise. Like most Bond films, the key content issue in Skyfall is moderate violence.