CBBFC News

Award-winning films get prestigious British classification

Kids for Kids (KFK) UK, the County Durham-based children and young people’s filmmaking development organisation, continues to go from strength to strength. The organisation has recently been chosen to run one of 38 BFI Film Network Academies which will bring new opportunities to young people in rural areas in the northern region.

In a surprise announcement, this year’s KFK UK film competition has also received a generous offer from the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) to classify this year’s Grand Prize winning entries.  The BBFC is the body that rates films according to their suitably for different age groups. All BBFC classified films carry the theatrical black card which prefaces the main programme.  It is a familiar icon for all film goers and shows the high regard given to the organisation in recognition of its dedicated high quality work.

KFK UK ran its first film competition and festival screening in County Durham in 2009 having received over 100 entries.  Last year the festival was hosted at the British Film Institute in London where it will also be held this year on October 26th screening the shortlisted entries from both the 6-12 years and 13-19 years age groups.

KFK UK founder and director, Helen Ward, says:

“We were overwhelmed by the amount of entries from around the country this year and the incredibly high standard of the films that are being made especially by those young people who are making films on their own or with friends.”

This year’s entries have been judged by an international jury made up of industry professionals from around the world who have watched the films on-line and will then participate in an online debate to agree the winning entries.  Awards are given in different age categories for live action, animation and 1 minute films along with a Grand Prize in each age category for best overall film.

David Austin, Assistant Director and Head of Policy at the BBFC, said:

“We are delighted to be involved with classifying the Grand Prize winning films for the KFK UK film competition this year. Working with young people is integral to the BBFC and through our own education work, which involves visits to schools and film club events across the UK, we know that young people are interested in age ratings and why their favourite film received the classification it did. We wish all entrants the best of luck and look forward to classifying those films selected for a Grand Prize.”

Joanna van der Meer, Family Learning Officer for the BFI, said:

“This will really add something extremely special for the competition winners.  The competition is open to all filmmakers in the age groups, whether they be from schools, clubs or from individuals working alone or with friends and the standard is becoming higher and higher every year.  The competition is also run by film education specialists in various countries across Europe and around the world; it is a growing network of competitions that serves to unite communities – it’s for this reason that I undertook to support it in the UK.”