Agenda item

The report of Chief Officer, Elections and Regulatory advises the Licensing Sub Committee Members of an application for the certification of numerous films in respect of the Leeds International Film Festival. All screenings are scheduled to take place between 3rd November 2020 and 19th November 2020 at Leeds Town Hall, Vue Cinema in the Light, and City Varieties.

 

(Report attached)

The report of the Chief Officer Elections and Regulatory advised Members of an application for the certification of numerous films in respect of the Leeds International Film Festival.

 

In attendance at the meeting were:

·  Alex King -  Programme Manager, City Development

·  Chris Fell – Leeds Film Manager, City Development

 

As the Sub-Committee had not had access to view 61 of the 62 films to be shown, the Legal Officer requested confirmation that none of the films to be shown could be classified as R18 certification. It was noted that none of the films could be classified as R18, however some of the films did contain adult content.

 

The Licensing Officer informed the Sub-Committee that all screenings were scheduled to take place between 3rd November 2020 and 19th November 2020 at Leeds Town Hall, Vue Cinema in the Light, and City Varieties.

 

A total of 62 films had been submitted requiring classification, however the applicant only had access to a link for the viewing of 1 of those films which was ‘Sun Children’ and it was proposed that this should be classified as 12A.

 

For Members information the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) was attached at Appendix A of the submitted report.

 

Mr King had provided the Sub-Committee with a list of films to be shown at the festival with a synopsis and a suggested certification. This was appended to the report at Appendix C.

 

Mr King informed Members that the Leeds International Film Festival was an event which had been running for 34 years, the films are shown at various venues across the city.

 

Mr King advised Members that some of the films had been BBFC certified with the remaining films not released in this country.

 

Mr King suggested that all the films but one should be certified as 18, with a suggested certification of 12A for the ‘Sun Children’. Mr King advised the Members that most audiences at the festival would be adults.

 

Responding to Members questions Mr King said that the films would be similar to those shown in previous years certified as 18. He provided Members with the reassurance that no films would be shown which in his experience should be rated R18. It was noted that some of the films would contain scenes of a sexual or violent nature and bad language.

 

The Legal Officer suggested going through the list so that Members could provide their comments. However, Members were in agreement that they were happy to accept Mr King’s reassurances that the 18 certifications suggested were appropriate.

 

Mr King said that most audiences to the festival were adults who enjoyed specialist films, which would not usually be shown in cinemas. Films suitable for children and families usually take place at an Easter event.

 

Members considered the suggested certifications for each film.

 

RESOLVED – To grant the certifications to the following films to be shown at the Leeds International Film Festival, between 3^rd to19^th November 2020:

 

·  A lovers Discourse: Internal Short Film Competition 2 – Cert 18

·  And Tomorrow the Entire World  - Cert 18

·  Andrey Tarkovsky. A Cinema Prayer – Cert 18

·  Anne at 13,000 feet – Cert 18

·  Arracht –Cert 18

·  Beauty Water – Cert 18

·  Black Milk – Cert 18

·  Black Sun: International Short Film Competition 3 – Cert 18

·  Bring Down the Walls – Cert 18

·  Caveat – Cert 18

·  Curveball – A True Story, Unfortunately – Cert 18

·  Dear Comrades – Cert 18

·  Delete History – Cert 18

·  Detention –Cert 18

·  Downstream to Kinshasa – Cert 18

·  Dune Drifter – Cert 18

·  Family Unities: International Short Film Competition – Cert 18

·  Fanomenon Horror Shorts – Cert 18

·  Film Africa 2020 Baobab Award 1 Guest Programmes - Cert 18

·  Film Africa 2020 Baobab Award 2 Guest Programmes - Cert 18

·  Glimpses of Maturity; International Short Film Competition 1 – Cert 18

·  High Ground – Cert 18

·  Honey Cigar – Cert 18

·  Kill it and leave this town – Cert 18

·  Kubrick by Kubrick – Cert 18

·  Leeds Queer Short Film Competition 1 – Cert 18

·  Leeds Queer Short Film Competition 2 – Cert 18

·  Leeds Screendance Competition – Cert 18

·  Liz and the Bluebird – Cert 18

·  Love Affair(s) – Cert 18

·  Madness and Civilisation: International Short Film Competition 5

·  Meanwhile on Earth – Cert 18

·  Mind the Gap: Democracy Ltd – Cert 18

·  Never Gonna Give You Up: British Short Film Competition 1 – Cert 18

·  Never Gonna Let You Down: British Short Film Competition 2 – Cert 18

·  On-Gaku – Our Sound – Cert 18

·  One day in the life of Noah Piugattuk – Cert 18

·  One of these days – Cert 18

·  Polish Animation Focus – Cert 18

·  Quo Vardis, Aida? – Cert 18

·  Relic – Cert 18

·  Rosa’s Wedding – Cert 18

·  Save Yourselves – Cert 18

·  Sisters with Transistors – Cert 18

·  Sun Children – 12A

·  Synchronic – Cert 18

·  The Columnist – Cert 18

·  The Intruder – Cert 18

·  The Longest Revolution: International Short Film Competition 4 – Cert 18

·  The Reckoning – Cert 18

·  The Republics – Cert 18

·  The Skin – Cert 18

·  The Stylist – Cert 18

·  The Trouble with Nature – Cert 18

·  The Whaler Boy – Cert 18

·  Undergods – Cert 18

·  Where were we? Documentary Shorts – Cert 18

·  World Animation Comp 1 – Cert 18

·  World Animation Comp 2 – Cert 18

·  World Animation Comp 3 – Cert 18

·  Yorkshire Short Film Competition – Cert 18

 

 

 

The meeting concluded at 10:14