Ontario Film Review Board
Encyclopedia
The Ontario Film Review Board ( Commission de contrôle cinématographique de l’Ontario) is an agency of the government of the Canadian province of Ontario
that is responsible for that province's motion picture rating system
. The board reports to the Minister of Consumer Services and its activities are based on the Film Classification Act, 2005
.
The Board of Censors began to provide basic film classifications from 1 June 1946, initially as a year-long pilot project to designate certain films which were deemed inappropriate for children. Theatre operators were required to identify such films as "adult entertainment" on marquees and advertising. The Blue Dahlia
and Her Kind of Man were among the first films to be identified as adult entertainment in Ontario.
In 1953, the Board of Censors began to enforce the new Theatres Act which replaced the Theatres and Cinematographs Act.
Further changes to the Theatres Act in 1975 empowered the board to review and censor videotapes and 8 mm film
formats as well as conventional theatrical films.
The Board of Censors name was changed to the Ontario Film Review Board by early 1985, after the provincial government amended the Theatres Act.
rating system
for theatrical releases in the province:
Ratings used from 1946 - 1953:
Ratings used from - 1986:
Ratings used from 1986 - 2001:
The ratings used from 2001–present:
These ratings include a set of Content Advisories:
The primary reason for the addition of the 18A category was films such as Scary Movie
and South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
Government of Ontario
The Government of Ontario refers to the provincial government of the province of Ontario, Canada. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
that is responsible for that province's motion picture rating system
Motion picture rating system
A motion picture rating system is designated to classify films with regard to suitability for audiences in terms of issues such as sex, violence, substance abuse, profanity, impudence or other types of mature content...
. The board reports to the Minister of Consumer Services and its activities are based on the Film Classification Act, 2005
Film Classification Act, 2005
The Film Classification Act, 2005 is a statute which governs motion picture and computer game ratings in the province of Ontario, Canada. The law also provides the legal basis for the activities of the Ontario Film Review Board...
.
History
A three-person Board of Censors was established on 27 June 1911 following passage of the Theatres and Cinematographs Act, 1911. The initial members were Chair George E. Armstrong, Robert Wilson and Otter Elliott. From that point, films to be shown in Ontario legally required review and approval by the board. The Board's censorship authority included newsreels, for example footage from a 1937 General Motors strike was banned "to avoid propaganda by either side."The Board of Censors began to provide basic film classifications from 1 June 1946, initially as a year-long pilot project to designate certain films which were deemed inappropriate for children. Theatre operators were required to identify such films as "adult entertainment" on marquees and advertising. The Blue Dahlia
The Blue Dahlia
The Blue Dahlia is a 1946 film noir, directed by George Marshall and written by Raymond Chandler. The film marks the third pairing of stars Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake.-Plot:...
and Her Kind of Man were among the first films to be identified as adult entertainment in Ontario.
In 1953, the Board of Censors began to enforce the new Theatres Act which replaced the Theatres and Cinematographs Act.
Further changes to the Theatres Act in 1975 empowered the board to review and censor videotapes and 8 mm film
8 mm film
8 mm film is a motion picture film format in which the filmstrip is eight millimeters wide. It exists in two main versions: the original standard 8mm film, also known as regular 8 mm or Double 8 mm, and Super 8...
formats as well as conventional theatrical films.
The Board of Censors name was changed to the Ontario Film Review Board by early 1985, after the provincial government amended the Theatres Act.
Censored film cases
Significant cases have occurred where a film was either banned outright in Ontario, or certain scenes were ordered removed:- 1926: MoanaMoanaMoana is a documentary film, the first docufiction in the history of cinema, directed by Robert J. Flaherty, the creator of Nanook of the North . Moana was filmed in Samoa in the villages of Safune on the island of Savai'i...
- the censor board would not approve this film unless 300 feet, or about 4% of the footage, was removed. The depiction of topless Samoan women in the production was cited as the cause for this censorship. The film was defended by artist Arthur HemingArthur HemingArthur Henry Howard Heming was a Canadian painter and novelist known as the "chronicler of the North" for his paintings, sketches, essays and books about Canada's North....
and others, while it was approved by film review authorities in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. - 1940: The March of TimeThe March of TimeThe March of Time is a radio series, and companion newsreel series, that was broadcast on CBS from 1931 to 1945 and shown in movie theaters from 1935 to 1951. It was created by Time, Inc. executive Roy Edward Larsen, and was produced and written by Louis de Rochemont and his brother Richard de...
newsreel episode "Canada At War" was banned until the 1940 federal electionCanadian federal election, 1940The Canadian federal election of 1940 was the 19th general election in Canadian history. It was held March 26, 1940 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 19th Parliament of Canada...
was completed, as Premier Mitchell HepburnMitchell HepburnMitchell Frederick Hepburn was the 11th Premier of Ontario, Canada, from 1934 to 1942. He was the youngest Premier in Ontario history, appointed at age 37....
charged that the production was "pure political propaganda for the Mackenzie King Government". The newsreel was allowed in Quebec where cinemas in Hull, QuebecHull, QuebecHull is the central and oldest part of the city of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. It is located on the west bank of the Gatineau River and the north shore of the Ottawa River, directly opposite Ottawa. As part of the Canadian National Capital Region, it contains offices for twenty thousand...
reported significant audience levels. - 1978: In Praise of Older Women - The Board requested a two minute cut from this federally funded and Canadian made film, showing as the festival opener at the Toronto Film Festival. The cut was negotiated down to 38 seconds, but most sources claim an uncut version was shown at the festival. The offending scene was simulated sexual activity.
- 1978: Pretty Baby - The film was fully banned from Ontario as it depicted a prostitute who was a minorMinor (law)In law, a minor is a person under a certain age — the age of majority — which legally demarcates childhood from adulthood; the age depends upon jurisdiction and application, but is typically 18...
. - 1980: The Tin DrumThe Tin Drum (film)The Tin Drum is a 1979 film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Günter Grass. It was directed and co-written by Volker Schlöndorff...
- Specific scenes were ordered deleted before the film could be shown in Ontario. The director and distributor initially refused to edit the film but eventually agreed to a compromise where the film would be distributed with fewer cuts than originally ordered. - 1981: Not a Love StoryNot a Love StoryNot a Love Story: A Film About Pornography is a documentary about the pornography industry. It was directed by Bonnie Sherr Klein.It remains one of the landmark works from the Studio D, the women's studio of the National Film Board of Canada...
- This NFBNational Film Board of CanadaThe National Film Board of Canada is Canada's twelve-time Academy Award-winning public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions...
documentary was critical of pornography but its depiction of the same led to its banning in Ontario. - 2001: Fat GirlFat GirlÀ ma sœur! is a 2001 French film directed by Catherine Breillat and starring Roxane Mesquida. It was released in some English speaking countries under the alternative titles For My Sister or Fat Girl....
- The Film Review Board ordered deletion of scenes from most of the film's 93-minute length, effectively banning the production. Scenes of sexuality involving a 13-year-old character were cited. The film's distributors filed an appeal with the Ontario Superior Court of JusticeOntario Superior Court of JusticeThe Superior Court of Justice is the superior court of general jurisdiction for the Province of Ontario, Canada. It is the successor to the former Ontario Court of Justice , and was created on April 19, 1999...
, but by January 2003 the Film Review Board reconsidered and passed the film intact for Ontario audiences.
Classifications
The board uses the following motion pictureMotion picture rating system
A motion picture rating system is designated to classify films with regard to suitability for audiences in terms of issues such as sex, violence, substance abuse, profanity, impudence or other types of mature content...
rating system
Canadian motion picture rating system
Motion picture ratings in Canada are mostly a provincial responsibility, and each province has its own legislation regarding exhibition and admission...
for theatrical releases in the province:
Ratings used from 1946 - 1953:
- (No classification) - Film appropriate for viewing by a person of any age.
- Adult Entertainment - Film may be viewed by persons of any age, although its content may not necessarily be suitable for children.
Ratings used from - 1986:
- (No classification) - Film appropriate for viewing by a person of any age.
- Adult Entertainment - Film may be viewed by persons of any age, although its content may not necessarily be suitable for children.
- Restricted - Film restricted to persons 18 years of age or older.
Ratings used from 1986 - 2001:
- Family - Film appropriate for viewing by a person of any age.
- Parental Guidance - Parents should exercise discretion in permitting a child to view the film.
- Adult Accompaniment - Film restricted to persons 14 years of age or older or to persons younger than 14 years of age who are accompanied by an adult.
- Restricted - Film restricted to persons 18 years of age or older.
The ratings used from 2001–present:
- General - Suitable for viewers of all ages.
- Parental Guidance - Parental guidance is advised. Theme or content may not be suitable for all children.
- 14A - Suitable for viewing by persons 14 years of age and older. Persons under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. May contain: violence, coarse language and/or sexually suggestive scenes.
- 18A - Suitable for viewing by persons 18 years of age and older. Persons under 18 may attend but must be accompanied by an adult. May contain: explicit violence, frequent coarse language, sexual activity and/or horror.
- Restricted - Admittance restricted to persons 18 years of age and over. Content not suitable for minors. May contain: frequent use of sexual activity, brutal/graphic violence, intense horror and/or other disturbing content.
These ratings include a set of Content Advisories:
- Not Recommended for Children
- Not Recommended for Young Children
- 3D Effect
- Some scary scenes
- Cartoon/Animation action
- Mature Theme
- Violence
- Brutal Violence
- Graphic Violence
- Sexual Violence
- Crude Content
- Disturbing Content
- Frightening Scenes
- Nudity
- Sexual Content
- Explicit Sexual Content
- Gory Scenes
- Coarse Language
- Language May Offend
- Language Not Evaluated
- Subtitled
- Substance Abuse
The primary reason for the addition of the 18A category was films such as Scary Movie
Scary Movie
Scary Movie is a 2000 comedy-parody film directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans, as part of Warner Bros. Entertainment. It is an American dark comedy which heavily parodies the horror, slasher, and mystery genres...
and South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut is a 1999 animated musical comedy film based on the animated television series South Park, created by Matt Stone and Trey Parker. The film was directed by Parker, who also stars along with the rest of the regular voice cast from the series, including Stone, Mary...
Adult Movies
Adult movies are given a sticker which denotes:- Title
- Running Time
- Distributor ID
- Approval certificate number
Chairs
Janet Robinson is the board's current Chair. The longest-serving chair was O. J. Silverthorne, who retired from that position after 40 years. The following people were appointed as Chair of the Board of Censors, and subsequently the Ontario Film Review Board.- June 1911 - George E. Armstrong
- 1920 - Alex. S. Hamilton (d. 1926)
- 1926 - J. C. Boylen
- 1934 - O. J. Silverthorne
- October 1974 - Don L. Sims
- July 1980 - Mary Brown
- August 1986 - Anne Jones
- September 1989 - Robert Payne
- October 1992 - Dorothy Christian
- September 1994 - Leslie Adams
- August 1997 - Robert Warren
- November 2002 - Bill Moody
- October 2004 - Janet Robinson