I’ll start by summarizing the US and German film ratings classifications, feel free to add a summary of those of your country. Please add an offcial link to your country’s ratings board
In Germany, the FSK (~voluntary self-control of the film industry) rates the movies into the following categories:
Freigegeben ohne Altersbeschraenkung (~all audiences)
FSK ab 6 ( you have to be at least 6 years old)
FSK ab 12
FSK ab 16
Keine Jugendfreigabe ( ab 18) (you have to be an adult, that is at least 18 years old. these films may not be sold publicly)
Movies that have not been rated sometimes just get a “spio/jk” classification that is just a stamp that sais that the film is not violating the laws. Films can also be confiscated or “indexed” in Germany, those are usually films that are overly violent (the key term here is: “violence-glorifying films”), nazi propaganda, slasher films or whatever.
USA:
In the USA, the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) issues the ratings of films
G (General Audiences) All audiences
PG (Parental Guidance suggested)
PG 13 (Parental Guidance suggested, material inappropriate for childeren under age of 13)
R (Restricted, under 17 requires guardian or accompanying parent)
NC-17 (noone under 17 allowed)
X (this doesnt officially exist, this is usually the rating for ultra-violent films or most usually porno)
unrated (films not rated by the MPAA)
Unlike Germany, R rated and unrated films can be publicly sold (for example Amazon.com) while in Germany, the “FSK 18” films can not be sold on the internet without passport controls, you will not find FSK 18 films on Amazon.de
Criteria for ratings:
S (General audiences): Violence: Mild (many cartoons, many Charlie Chaplin films)
S (General audiences): Sex: Mild sexual references, nudity (even full frontal) (In the Mood for Love, Tin Cup)
K-7: Violence: Mild violence (Princess Mononoke, The Mask of Zorro)
K-7: Sex: Not much diffecence to S rating (Just Married)
K-11: Violence: Many action comedies, adventure films, close to pg-13 (The Day After Tomorrow, Hellboy)
K-11: Sex: Soft erotic(The End of the Affair, 2046, American Pie (US unrated version))
K-15:Violence: Lots of violence, but not too explicit. Most action and war movies. (Goodfellas, The Terminator, Bad Taste (because of humour))
K-15: Sex: Pretty much everything that’s not hard core. (Dreamers, Monsters Ball (both US unrated versions))
K-18:Violence: Extreme violence (Ichi the Killer, Kill Bill Vol. 1, Braindead)
K-18: Sex: Hard core (Ken Park, Caligula)
KK(Banned): Earlier we had tight censorship and films like The Texas Chainchaw Massacre got banned. Today no normal movies get banned (I don’t know a single movie that would get banned today). Only stuff that is illegal (for exaple real violence as an entertainment (stuff like jackass (K-15) doesn’t count). I can’t come up with any example) The law is about the same as the law in US.
If you are 2 years or less younger that the rating you need to have a full age guarding with you. Otherwise you won’t get in. K-18 is an exception, only those who are 18 or older can get in.
No restriction for selling movies (except KK). Movies are never cut (by us) for lower rating.
U Suitable for general audiences of all ages. PG Younger children may require parental guidance. 12A No-one younger than 12 may see a ‘12A’ film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult. 15 No-one younger than 15 may see a ‘15’ film in a cinema. 18 No-one younger than 18 may see an ‘18’ film in a cinema.
G For general exhibition PG Parental guidence recommended M15+ For mature audiences only MA15+ For people over the age of 15 (?) R18+ For people aged 18 and over
U Suitable for general audiences of all ages. PG Younger children may require parental guidance. 12A No-one younger than 12 may see a ‘12A’ film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult. 15 No-one younger than 15 may see a ‘15’ film in a cinema. 18 No-one younger than 18 may see an ‘18’ film in a cinema.
TBC To Be Classified.[/quote]
“12a” is the cinema version but on video it is just “12” and no one under 12 can see.
Just want to add to the finnish ratings that nowadays a lot of films and even TV-series have been released on DVD as K-18 because having them rated would cost money and the law allows anything (which isnt illegal of course) to be released as K-18 without rating.
For example MacGyver season 1 was released as K-18.
violence.
movie will contain sex
fear
drugs
discrimination
coarse language