FOUR LIONS

FOUR LIONS is a satirical comedy about British Muslims who aspire to be suicide bombers. It has been passed '15' for strong language and sex references.

There are over fifty uses of strong language, mostly in English but several in untranslated Urdu, which go beyond what is acceptable under the BBFC's Guidelines at '12A/12' where 'The use of strong language (for example, ‘fuck’) must be infrequent'. In terms of sex references, 'strong verbal references to sexual behaviour' are permitted at '15' and the verbal descriptions of sex in this work fell short of containing the 'strongest references' which might have placed it at '18' instead.

The theme is treated in a manner designed to satirise, rather than to promote or endorse, terrorist activity and is therefore appropriately contained at '15' where 'No theme is prohibited, provided the treatment is appropriate for 15 year olds'. Few of the range of individuals and groups portrayed in the film escape its comic and satirical scope: this may give rise to offence in some quarters, but this would not have been mitigated by artificially raising the category to 18.

FOUR LIONS also contains moderate comic violence, and self referential uses of 'Paki' which in this comic context are not endorsed.