film certificate
noun /ˈfɪlm sətɪfɪkət/
/ˈfɪlm sərtɪfɪkət/
(British English) (North American English movie rating
/ˈmuːvi reɪtɪŋ/
/ˈmuːvi reɪtɪŋ/
)- a label that is put on films, stating who should be allowed to watch or download themCultureIn Britain, the British Board of Film Classification places films in one of five groups, U (Universal) for films which can be seen by anybody, PG (Parental Guidance) for films which may upset young children, 12A for films where a child under 12 should be with an adult, 15 where no one under 15 should see the film, and 18, which is considered only suitable for adults. The label R18 means that the film can only be shown in cinemas that have a licence, or the DVD bought in sex shops that have a licence. Websites offering the film for download must check the age of the user. The label 12 is only for DVDs and downloads, to show that they are considered suitable for children aged 12 and above.In the US, a film is given one of five labels by the Classification and Rating Administration of the Motion Picture Association of America. These are: G for general audiences, PG for parental guidance (meaning that parents decide whether to let their children see the film), PG-13 for parental guidance for children under 13, R for restricted (which means that children under 17 should only see the film with a parent or other adult who is responsible for them), and NC-17 (no one 17 and under) for films which may only be seen by adults.