Council approves major rule change allowing babies at 18-rated movie screenings
Why parents will soon be allowed to bring babies into 18-rated films
Parents will be allowed to take babies into screenings of 15 and 18-rated films under relaxed licensing rules.
Leeds City Council decided infants aged under 12 months could be taken to see some top-rated movies at baby cinema clubs.
British Board of Film Classification guidelines meant parents could only take babies into screenings of films rated up to 12A.
But councils have powers to set alternative classifications under the Licensing Act.
The rule change was approved by the council’s licensing committee after mums complained of being refused entry to the last Bridget Jones film, rated 15.
Lisa Martin, Roundhay Labour councillor, said the baby clubs helped parents avoid feeling isolated.
She said: “When you first have a baby, your life turns upside down. It’s so important to get out and be amongst other parents.”
The council commissioned an expert clinical opinion from family therapy service Beacon House on the new policy.
A report to the committee said: “Babies do not need to understand a film to be unsettled and impacted by it.
“Sudden loud sounds, extreme acoustic events and distressed voices can trigger physical stress responses in infants even without comprehension.”
Babies would also react to emotional responses from parents to distressing film scenes.
Liberal Democrat member Ryk Downes, who represents Otley and Yeadon, said: “The key issue here is the stress levels of the person that is there with them. You can’t really put that into a classification.”
Beacon House recommended baby club films being risk assessed by cinemas, sound volumes being limited and advice being given on the content of films.
Cinemas running the clubs, including Hyde Park, Everyman and Showcase, would be required to apply for minor licence variations and complaints would be investigated.
The licensing report said: “The purpose of the risk assessment is to inform the suitability of a film for baby cinema club screenings and the application of appropriate control measures.”
The meeting was told a similar approach was used in Chelmsford and it was supported by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
The rule change would be reviewed at the council’s annual licensing meeting.