Italian Ministry of Culture abolishes film censorship system and sets up film classification committee

According to foreign media reports recently, Italian Minister of Culture Dario Franceschini signed a decree to abolish the film censorship system and set up a Film Classification Committee under the Directorate-General for Film and Audiovisual Affairs of Culture to be responsible for classifying and reviewing film production and distribution, in order to replace the original film censorship system.

The main task of the Film Classification Committee is to verify the correct classification of film works by operators and enable producers or distributors to classify film works themselves.

Italy's new film classification decree stipulates that film classification must take into account the protection of children and minors, especially the sensitivity of various age groups, and classify films according to target audiences, including works that are not suitable for children under 6 years old; works that are prohibited for children under 14 years old to watch, and works that are prohibited for children under 18 years old to watch.

Ansa Nicola Borrelli, director of the Italian Ministry of Culture's Film and Audiovisual Directorate General, said that the newly established Film Classification Committee will be headed by Alessandro Pajno, former president of the Italian Council of State, and will have 49 members, including recognized experts in the film industry, youth education and protection, social communication and other fields.

Borelli said the Film Classification Committee will be responsible for verifying the correctness of the classification proposed by film operators. The committee also has personnel designated by parent associations and animal protection organizations to protect sensitive content such as minors and animals.