The Office of Film and Literature Classification is the government agency in New Zealand that is responsible for classification of all films, videos, publications, and some video games in New Zealand. It was created by the Films Videos and Publications Classification Act 1993

The Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) first divides films into two categories; unrestricted and restricted. Unrestricted films are assigned a rating label. Restricted films are assigned a classification label. The common labels in each category are as follows:

• Unrestricted films:
  • G - Suitable for all.
  • PG - Parental guidance recommended for younger viewers.
  • M - Mature; Suitable for people 16 years or older.
  • Parental decision whether to let children watch a particular film

• Restricted films:
  • R13 - Restricted to 13 year-olds and older
  • R15 - Restricted to 15 year-olds and older
  • R16 - Restricted to 16 year-olds and older
  • R18 - Restricted to 18 year-olds and older
  • RP - A special restriction (details of the restriction noted to the right of the label). Equivalent to the old 'RPP' classification.

The OFLC classifies material based on whether it is likely to be "harmful" or "injurious to the public good". Specifically (from the Act): "a publication is objectionable if it describes, depicts, expresses, or otherwise deals with matters such as sex, horror, crime, cruelty, or violence in such a manner that the availability of the publication is likely to be injurious to the public good."

Under the Act in New Zealand, the material that promotes or supports the following is banned:

• The sexual exploitation of children
• Sexual violence or coercion
• Torture or extreme violence
• Bestiality
• Necrophilia
• Urophilia
• Coprophilia

Criticism

The Society for the Promotion of Community Standards has repeatedly critisised the OFLC for not banning films such as Baise-moi and Lies which it classes as highly pornographic and violent. It also criticises the agency's policy of banning or restricting Christian films which attack gay lifestyles, and for giving a high rating to Mel Gibson's film, The Passion of the Christ. The society is opposed to "sexual promiscuity" and often its critisism of the OFLC refers to the fact the chief executive of the agency, Bill Hastings , is openly gay.

External links

• Office of Film and Literature Classification
• Society for the Promotion of Community Standards