Councillors have called for laws on screening uncertified films to be revised.
Regulatory Convener, Cllr Neil Ross, will write to The Scottish Government to ask for the review after a decision by the city’s regulatory committee.
The move was sparked by discussion over the way the council handles requests by cinemas to screen films which have not been certified by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC).
At present, any screening requests for uncertified films in the city have to go before the council’s licensing sub-committee for sign-off.
Councillors had called for city licensing staff to explore the way the Filmhouse cinema on Lothian Road could sign off on films by itself, but this was rejected.
Additionally, they wanted officers to explore how the process could be made for other cinemas intending to screen uncertified films.
Members of the committee said that this would save committee time, and lift the pressures the policy places on venues in the city to plan well ahead when deciding what to screen.
Suggestions included having council officers approve or reject films themselves rather than councillors in the committee.
Regulatory Committee
But officers submitted a report to Monday’s Regulatory Committee meeting which stated that change to the way the system works was not possible.
They said that the council could not allow the Filmhouse to sign off on films by itself due to the inability of the city to assign regulatory powers to another body.
And they added that council officers “do not have the skills” to judge the age-appropriateness of films.
Officers suggested that the Filmhouse could have a less difficult time with the approvals process by only showing non-certified films to those over the age of 18.
Or, they said, the venue could “plan ahead” when scheduling films to accommodate the need for approval by a committee meeting.
A bid by SNP councillors on the committee to have officers take up consideration of uncertified films despite the contents of the report was rejected by a five to three vote.
By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter
