Australian movies that have been censored for more commercially friendly classifications.
Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie’s Dead Aunt)
Directed by Monica Zanetti / 2020 / Australia / IMDb
On 29 July 2020, an 82-minute print of ELLIE & ABBIE (& ELLIE’S DEAD AUNT) was passed with an MA15+ (Strong coarse language) rating.
The classification matrix described,
Strong impact: language
Mild impact: themes, violence, drug use, sex
None: nudity
This print played at the Melbourne International Film Festival in August and Brisbane in October.
A censored version, also 82-minutes, was passed in October with an M (Coarse language).
The classification matrix was the same, apart from the language, which went from ‘Strong impact’ to ‘Moderate impact’.
In both cases, the applicant was This Is Arcadia Pty Ltd.
What bad language was censored?
The film was unanimously awarded an MA15+ rating for a single use of the word ‘cunt’.
The M-rated version overdubbed ‘cunt’ with the sound of a squawking crow.
July 29, 2020
Decision ReportProduction Details:
Title: ELLIE & ABBIE (& ELLIE’S DEAD AUNT)
Alternate titles:
Producer/s: MAHVEEN SHAHRAKI / PATRICK JAMES
Director/s: MONICA ZANETTI
Year of Production: 2020
Duration: 82 MINUTES
Version: ORIGINAL
Format: ONLINE
Country/ies of origin: AUSTRALIA
Language/s: ENGLISH
Application type: FO2
Applicant: THIS IS ARCADIA PTY LTDDates:
Date application received by the Classification Board: 08 July 2020
Date of decision: 29 July 2020Decision:
Classification: MA 15+
Consumer advice: Strong coarse languageSynopsis:
ELLIE & ABBIE (& ELLIE’S DEAD AUNT) is an Australian comedy drama in which a young woman, Ellie, is visited by the ghost of her dead aunt, Tara, after she comes out as gay to her mother and attempts to ask the girl she likes, Abbie, to her high school formal.Reasons for the Decision:
In making this decision, the Classification Board has applied the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995 (the Classification Act), the National Classification Code (the Code) and the Guidelines for the Classification of Films 2012 (the Guidelines).In the Board’s view this film warrants an MA 15+ classification as, in accordance with item 4 of the films table of the Code, it is unsuitable for viewing by persons under 15.
Pursuant to the Guidelines, this film is classified MA 15+ as the impact of the classifiable elements is strong. Material classified MA 15+ is considered unsuitable for persons under 15 years of age. It is a legally restricted category.
The classifiable element that is strong in viewing impact is language.
The examples described below do not represent an exhaustive list of the content that caused the film to be classified MA 15+. The times given are approximations.
LANGUAGE
Strong coarse language may be used. Aggressive or very strong coarse language should be infrequent.
The film contains use of coarse language that is strong in impact. It includes a single use of very strong coarse language in the form of the word “cunt” (at 32 minutes) in addition to use of the word “fuck” and derivatives.
At 32 minutes, after Abbie playfully holds a crumpled note from Ellie, Ellie says, “Don’t be such a cunt!”
At 14 minutes, after Ellie tells her she is in detention for littering, Abbie says, “It’s pretty fucked actually.”
At 19 minutes, Ellie’s mother, talking to her friend Patty, says, “Fuck. I’m getting so rude, I have no self-awareness.”
At 48 minutes, Ellie’s mother says of Patty, “She doesn’t need to be a fucking Uber driver.”
In the Board’s opinion, the overall impact of coarse language within the context of this film is no higher than strong and it can therefore be accommodated within the MA 15+ classification.
OTHER MATTERS CONSIDERED OR NOTED
The Board notes that the film was accessed on 29 July, 2020 via https://vimeo.com/ using a password provided by the applicant.
Decision:
This film is classified MA 15+ with consumer advice of strong coarse language.
– Classification Board report
October 22, 2020
Decision ReportProduction Details:
Title: ELLIE & ABBIE (& ELLIE’S DEAD AUNT)
Alternate titles:
Producer/s: MAHVEEN SHAHRAKI / PATRICK JAMES
Director/s: MONICA ZANETTI
Year of Production: 2020
Duration: 82 MINUTES
Version: MODIFIED
Format: ONLINE
Country/ies of origin: AUSTRALIA
Language/s: ENGLISH
Application type: FO2
Applicant: THIS IS ARCADIA PTY LTDDates:
Date application received by the Classification Board: 25 September 2020
Date of decision: 22 October 2020Decision:
Classification: M
Consumer advice: Coarse languageReasons for the Decision:
In making this decision, the Classification Board has applied the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995 (the Classification Act), the National Classification Code (the Code) and the Guidelines for the Classification of Films 2012 (the Guidelines).In the Board’s view this film warrants an M classification as, in accordance with item 5 of the films table of the Code, it cannot be recommended for viewing by persons who are under 15.
Pursuant to the Guidelines, this film is classified M as the impact of the classifiable elements is moderate. Material classified M is not recommended for persons under 15 years of age. There are no legal restrictions on access.
The classifiable element is language that is moderate in viewing impact.
The examples described below do not represent an exhaustive list of the content that caused the film to be classified M.
LANGUAGE
Coarse language may be used. Aggressive or strong coarse language should be infrequent and justified by context.
The film contains use of coarse language that is moderate in impact. It includes infrequent use of strong coarse language that is justified by context in the form of the word ‘fuck’ and derivatives.
At 14 minutes, after Ellie tells her she is in detention for littering, Abbie says, “It’s pretty fucked actually.”
At 19 minutes, Ellie’s mother, talking to her friend Patty, says, “Fuck. I’m getting so rude, I have no self-awareness.”
At 48 minutes, Ellie’s mother says of Patty, “She doesn’t need to be a fucking Uber driver.”
In the Board’s opinion the overall impact of coarse language within the context of this film is no higher than moderate and it can therefore be accommodated within the M classification.
OTHER MATTERS CONSIDERED OR NOTED
The Board notes that the film contains themes, violence, drug use and sexual references that can be accommodated within a lower classification.
The Board notes that a version of this film has been previously classified MA 15+ (with consumer advice of strong coarse language) on 29/07/2020.
In the Board’s opinion, the modifications to this film – which includes the removal of strong coarse language at 31 minutes with use of the word “cunt” replaced by audio of a squawking crow – alters the classification and no longer exceeds a moderate impact level. Therefore, this material warrants an M classification with consumer advice of coarse language best describing the film’s content.
Decision:
This film is classified M with consumer advice of coarse language.
– Classification Board report
Censored DVD
In May 2021, Umbrella Entertainment released the modified version on DVD.
Censored on Netflix
In February 2022, the modified version of ELLIE & ABBIE (& ELLIE’S DEAD AUNT) was added to Netflix Australia.
The overdubbed audio plays as ‘Don’t be such a [squawking crow sound]’.
Despite this, it was still listed with a MA15+ (Strong coarse language) rating. Presumably, this was due to the subtitles being uncut.
Where is it uncut ?
If an Australian film is censored for a local rating, it may become the default version when released overseas.
It may not be the case with ELLIE & ABBIE (& ELLIE’S DEAD AUNT) as the British Board of Film Classification awarded it a 15-certificate in June 2021 and noted ‘…infrequent very strong language (‘c**t’)’.
Please e-mail us if you can confirm the availability of the uncut version.
Penguin Bloom
Directed by Glendyn Ivin / 2020 / Australia / IMDb
On 3 November 2020, a 95-minute print of PENGUIN BLOOM was passed with an M (Mature themes) rating.
The classification matrix described,
Moderate impact: themes
Mild impact: language
None: violence, drug use, nudity, sex
A censored version, also 95-minutes, was passed on November 17 with a PG (Mild themes and coarse language).
The classification matrix was the same, apart from the themes, which went from ‘Moderate impact’ to ‘Mild impact’.
The M-rated themes describe ‘A near-fatal fall is depicted, with some blood detail’. The PG version modifies it to ‘… without blood or injury detail’.
In both cases, the applicant was Roadshow Films.
Censored for home viewing
In March 2021, a 193-minute disc received an identical PG-rating.
The following month, Roadshow Entertainment released this censored version on DVD and Blu-ray.
The same print, running 95:21, was added to Netflix Australia in 2022.
What was censored for a PG?
Tom S. reports.
At 24 minutes, there is a flashback sequence of Sam Bloom (Naomi Watts) falling off the balcony. Two shots have been altered in the aftermath.
The first is at the end of the tracking shot as the camera goes over the balcony to show a distant overhead view of Sam lying unconscious on the pavement with a pool of blood around her head.
The blood has been removed for the Australian PG version.
The second is a brief close-up of Sam moving with a large pool of blood around her head.
Again, the blood is missing in the Australian PG version.
O-LYM-PIC Football Dreams
Directed by Janet Merewether / 2021 / Australia / IMDb
On 27 October 2022, an 85-minute Digital Video of O-LYM-PIC FOOTBALL DREAMS was passed with an M (Coarse language) rating.
The classification matrix described,
Moderate impact: language
Very mild impact: themes
None: violence, drug use, nudity, sex
A censored version, also running 85-minutes, was passed with a PG (Mild coarse language) rating on November 8.
In both cases, Janet Merewether T/A Go Girl Productions were the applicant.
The classification matrix was the same, apart from the language, which went from ‘Moderate impact’ to ‘Mild impact’.
The M-rated version describes the language as a bleeped-out use of the words ‘fuck’ and ‘bloody’.
In the PG version the words are also visually-blurred, indicating modifications to the subtitles.
