Film Classifications, St James Theatre
Film Classifications
www.classificationoffice.govt.nz/
Unrestricted
Films with a G, PG or M rateing can be sold, hired or shown to anyone. Most unrestricted films are not classified by the Classification Office before release.
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General audiences (G)
People of all ages can view these films. There is no language, nudity, sex, violence or other matters that would upset tamariki.
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Parental guidance (PG)
Films with a PG label can be sold, hired or shown to anyone. This means unaccompanied tamariki can watch but some scenes may be scary.
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Mature audiences (M)
Films with an M label can be sold, hired or shown to anyone but they are more suitable for mature audiences. It's a good idea to read the content warning.
Restricted
R means legally age-restricted. It is an offence to allow someone underage to watch or access restricted films. RP means younger people can only watch with a parent or guardian. Restrictions apply whether you are in a cinema or at home. Adults cannot give tamariki permission to watch restricted films or play restricted video games. Doing so can lead to a large fine – so if a cinema denies you access on account of age, they’re just doing their job.
R13, R15, R16, and R18
It is illegal to sell, hire, show or give a film with an age-restricted label to anyone under the age specified.
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RP13, RP16, and RP18
A parent, shop or cinema is breaking the law if they allow children below these ages to access these films without adult supervision.
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Restricted (R)
R means that there is a special restriction. Refer to the words on the right of the label for the full conditions.
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How do they classify content?