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Vietnam to rate movies screened at theaters

Xinhua, September 20, 2015 Adjust font size:

Vietnam will have different labels for movies shown at theaters, especially those for adults only, according to a draft legislation that is expected to take effect soon, local online newspaper Tuoi Tre (Youth) News reported on Sunday.

According to a draft circular to amend regulations on the evaluation and dissemination of films licensed in Vietnam, there would be four levels to rate movies screened in the country.

The four levels include movies for all ages (labeled P), films restricted to those 13 years of age or older (C13), flicks that are not for people under 16 (C16), and movies for adults only (C18) , according to the draft that has been prepared since 2008.

The classification of the movies permitted to be shown at local theaters is based on theme, content and the level of many elements, like violence, nudity, sex, drug use, language and horror.

At the highest level, the C18 label would be used for films about political, social, psychological and criminal issues that are only suitable for the cognitive and psychological awareness of viewers aged 18 or older. This level of censorship allows the films to contain full nudity but they would not be permitted to describe sensitive parts in detail.

Nudity and sexual violence in the C18 films must be relevant to their content and should not be prolonged or repeated too much, according to the draft circular. However, the duration of such scenes is still being discussed and will be decided based on specific cases.

Films with the C16, C13, and P labels would be allowed to feature a much lower level of violence, sex, horror, use of drugs, and obscene language, which are not appropriate for the age ranges. Particularly, those movies labeled P would show no violence, nudity, sex, drug use and horror.

Ngo Phuong Lan, head of the Vietnam Cinema Department, said the new film classification was modeled after that of Singapore, local news website VnExpress reported. The Singapore film rating system has Asian characteristics compatible with the culture of Vietnam, she added.

The department has also referred to the ratings of the United States, Britain and Australia to perfect the circular, she said.

The provisional legislation is expected to be promulgated and take effect early next year. Endi