Published: 05 Aug 2020
Curriculum links: This case study can be used for those studying 'Component 1: Section B – Film Industry' on the GCSE WJEC / Eduqas specification OR ‘AS Component 1: Investigating the Media’ and ‘A-Level Component 1: Media Products, Industries and Audiences’ on the A-Level Eduqas specification.
I, Daniel Blake is British director Ken Loach's twenty-sixth theatrical feature and his fourteenth with long-time scriptwriting collaborator Paul Laverty. The film follows the eponymous Daniel Blake, a 59 year old carpenter recovering from a heart attack, who befriends a single mother and her two children as they attempt to navigate their way through the benefits system.
On its submission in 2016, the BBFC rated the film 15 for very strong language. Explore how we approached the classification of the film.
Classification Issues
Language
In June 2016, the distributor, Entertainment One, sought advice from the BBFC, stating that they would like to release the film with a 12A age rating. The BBFC viewed a finished version of the film and informed the distributor that the film would require a 15 age rating due to a use of very strong language (‘c**t’) and strong language (‘f**k’) throughout.
Our Classification Guidelines are shaped by extensive research with thousands of people across the UK. Our findings repeatedly show that people do not want uses of very strong language (for example, ‘c**t’) to be classified below 15. We always take into account context so, while the use of very strong language in I, Daniel Blake is infrequent and lacks other aggravating factors, such as violence or discrimination, its presence places the film firmly at a 15 age rating.
The 15 age rating for language is supported by the fact that the film also contains frequent use of strong language (‘f**k’), the volume of which goes beyond our guidelines at 12A which only allow for ‘infrequent strong language’.
Additional classification issues
Aside from the category defining issue of language used within the film, there are other content issues in the film such as sex references, including to sex work, and prescription drug misuse. There are also upsetting scenes in which characters are forced into difficult situations as a result of the poverty they are experiencing. These issues, along with references to criminality and discrimination would have been suitable for a 12A audience.
Rating the trailer
After the advice screening, a trailer was submitted for classification (see below); the BBFC noted that despite some of the challenging issues in I, Daniel Blake, the trailer appears fairly uplifting in tone and focuses on the friendship between Daniel and a younger single mother, Katie. We rated the trailer U as there were no content issues to warrant a higher rating. It is not uncommon for trailers to receive a different rating to the feature film they are associated with.
