A while ago we talked about Tracey Emin withdrawing her movie Top Spot from distribution due to the BBFC classing it as an 18 movie when she had created it for teenagers. The reason from the previous article:
It all seems to hang on one scene of a suicide, and there is talk that it shows someone how to carry out an effective suicide. This definitely goes against the BBFC rules, but Tartan goes on to point out that The Virgin Suicides shows this just as effectively but with a number of teenagers, and this received an 18 certificate.
The BBC carry this story today:
…has been granted a special licence by a London council so it can be seen by an under-18 audience…
…Westminster Council has now given the film a one-off licence to screen it to an invited group of 16-year-old girls.
The screening on 12 March will be followed by a discussion on the film.
It surprises me that a license can be obtained to bypass the BBFC certification. I never realised that local councils could do this. Whatever the legalities, it’s great news that her movie is going to be seen by the audience it was intended for.
“Top Spot brilliantly captures the casual, deadly serious world of the teenage girl,” [Miranda] Sawyer said.
“It was given the wrong certificate by the British Board of Film Classification and now, finally, here is a chance to see it and make up your own mind.”
Festival director Rachel Millward said: “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to show this hard-hitting account.
“Finally, this film will be seen by the audience it is intended for and hopefully the discussion afterwards will reveal what the intended audience actually think.
“Finally we will hear from the teenagers, rather than talk about them.”
The film is being shown as part of the Birds Eye View Film Festival, which is dedicated to women film-makers.
