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Régie du cinéma (Quebec)
Encyclopedia
The Régie du cinéma is a government agency responsible for the motion picture rating system
within the Canadian province of Quebec
. Its mandate is to classify and approve films for distribution to Quebec's movie theatres and home video outlets. Its purview devolves from the Cinema Act (RSQ, C-18.1).
France Boucher currently serves as the President of the agency which is under the auspices of Quebec's Ministère de la Culture, des Communications et de la Condition féminine (Ministry of Culture, Communications and Women's Affairs).
The current ratings are:
Each rating can also include one or a number of complementary indications. The possible combinations are as follows:
The G movies usually can have some swearing in them, as long as the offensive language is not prevalent throughout. Violence can also be permitted, but only in a fantasy context (in such movies as Iron Man
, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
, Transformers and Eragon
). Sex can be present as long as it is filmed with extreme maintenance. Horror elements can be present, but have to be filmed in a way that would not scare children under 13 years of age. In cases where objectionable material can be found, the Not recommended for young children tag, which indicates that the movie could contain material inappropriate for young children but does not prohibit them from viewing the film, is added to the original rating.
13+ movies usually have content that likely would not be suitable for young children. Typically, scenes of violence that are darker than what is depicted in traditional fantasy films (i.e.: Watchmen
and The Dark Knight
), or are more realistic (i.e.: The Departed
, Taken
and Body of Lies
) warrant a 13+ rating. As opposed to G movies, strong horror elements can be present; these are usually accompanied with the Horror tag (i.e.: Friday the 13th
and Hannibal Rising). Vulgar Language is more prevalent and scenes of sexual acts or nudity can be more explicit (i.e.: Deception
, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, Observe and Report
, Alpha Dog
and Sex Drive
).
16+ movies are usually movies with more explicit violence than what a 13+ movie can afford. Most of these cases, a movie deals with extreme violence. Rambo
, Smokin' Aces
, Crank: High Voltage, Hannibal
and Pulp Fiction
are all examples of 16+ rated movies featuring violence. In some cases, it can be for sex and nudity, and that rating usually occurs to soft-core pornography. Horror elements can also be present, although in these cases, they are mostly mixed with violence (i.e.: the Saw series). In rare cases, a movie is rated 16+ for the language it uses (i.e.: Clerks II
and Strange Wilderness
).
18+ movies are mostly hard-core pornography movies, but they can also feature movies of extreme violence and gore. Hostel, Hostel: Part II, Fight Club
, Wolf Creek
, Natural Born Killers
, The Shining
and Philosophy of a Knife
are a few examples. It is rare that a normal movie will get a 18+ rating for the language or horror elements it has. Sometimes, nudity and sex is good enough to warrant a 18+ rating without going into the edges of pornography, but is usually accompanied by another indication, such as violence.
Movies that have not yet been rated feature the indication En attente de classement (Rating Pending). This is common on print advertising before the release of a movie. The movie must have been rated by the Régie by the time it is released.
While not a classification per se, educational or pedagogical movies, sport and physical exercise programs, and promotional materials are exempt from classification.
The Régie does not cut sequences from movies; they are rated in the format provided by the production company. Nonetheless, the Régie has the authority to deny classification, in which case the movie cannot be distributed in any format in the province of Québec. Such movies usually feature inhumane sexual exploitation.
Motion picture rating system
A motion picture rating system is designated to classify films with regard to suitability for audiences in terms of issues such as sex, violence, substance abuse, profanity, impudence or other types of mature content...
within the Canadian province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. Its mandate is to classify and approve films for distribution to Quebec's movie theatres and home video outlets. Its purview devolves from the Cinema Act (RSQ, C-18.1).
France Boucher currently serves as the President of the agency which is under the auspices of Quebec's Ministère de la Culture, des Communications et de la Condition féminine (Ministry of Culture, Communications and Women's Affairs).
Rating system
The Régie du cinéma rates all films and videos. Individual ratings and their rationales are publicly available online on the Régie's website http://www.rcq.qc.ca/RCQ221FilmClasseRecent.asp. The same classifications are used for television broadcasts.The current ratings are:
| Rating Label | Description |
|---|---|
 G |
Visa général (General Rating)
|
 13+ |
13 ans et plus (13 years and over)
|
 16+ |
16 ans et plus (16 years and over)
|
 18+ |
18 ans et plus (18 years and over)
|
Each rating can also include one or a number of complementary indications. The possible combinations are as follows:
| Rating | For children | Not suitable for young children |
Coarse Language Profanity Profanity is a show of disrespect, or a desecration or debasement of someone or something. Profanity can take the form of words, expressions, gestures, or other social behaviors that are socially constructed or interpreted as insulting, rude, vulgar, obscene, desecrating, or other forms.The... |
Erotica Erotica Erotica are works of art, including literature, photography, film, sculpture and painting, that deal substantively with erotically stimulating or sexually arousing descriptions... |
Violence Violence Violence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g... |
Horror Horror film Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres... |
Explicit Sexuality Pornography Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | (exclusive use) | (exclusive use) | (not used) | (not used) | (not used) | (not used) | (not used) |
| 13+ | (not used) | (rarely) | (used) | (used) | (used) | (used) | (not used) |
| 16+ | (not used) | (not used) | (used) | (used) | (used) | (used) | (not used) |
| 18+ | (not used) | (not used) | (used) | (used) | (used) | (used) | (exclusive use) |
The G movies usually can have some swearing in them, as long as the offensive language is not prevalent throughout. Violence can also be permitted, but only in a fantasy context (in such movies as Iron Man
Iron Man (film)
Iron Man is a 2008 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Directed by Jon Favreau, the film stars Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark, an industrialist and master engineer who builds a powered exoskeleton and becomes the technologically advanced superhero, Iron...
, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a 2007 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the fifth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Michael Goldenberg and produced by David Heyman and David Barron...
, Transformers and Eragon
Eragon (film)
Eragon is a 2006 fantasy-adventure film based on the novel of the same name by author Christopher Paolini. The cast includes Edward Speleers in the title role, Jeremy Irons, Garrett Hedlund, Sienna Guillory, Robert Carlyle, John Malkovich, Djimon Hounsou, Alun Armstrong, Joss Stone, and the voice...
). Sex can be present as long as it is filmed with extreme maintenance. Horror elements can be present, but have to be filmed in a way that would not scare children under 13 years of age. In cases where objectionable material can be found, the Not recommended for young children tag, which indicates that the movie could contain material inappropriate for young children but does not prohibit them from viewing the film, is added to the original rating.
13+ movies usually have content that likely would not be suitable for young children. Typically, scenes of violence that are darker than what is depicted in traditional fantasy films (i.e.: Watchmen
Watchmen (film)
Watchmen is a 2009 superhero film directed by Zack Snyder and starring Malin Åkerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Patrick Wilson. It is an adaptation of the comic book of the same name by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons...
and The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight (film)
The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed, produced and co-written by Christopher Nolan. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is part of Nolan's Batman film series and a sequel to 2005's Batman Begins...
), or are more realistic (i.e.: The Departed
The Departed
The Departed is a 2006 American crime thriller film, fashioned as a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs. The film was directed by Martin Scorsese and written by William Monahan...
, Taken
Taken (film)
Taken is a 2008 action thriller film produced by Luc Besson, starring Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, and Famke Janssen. The screenplay is written by Besson and Robert Mark Kamen, and was directed by Pierre Morel...
and Body of Lies
Body of Lies (film)
Body of Lies is a 2008 American spy film directed by Ridley Scott. Set in the Middle East, it follows the attempts of the CIA and Jordanian Intelligence to catch "al-Saleem", a fictional jihadist terrorist...
) warrant a 13+ rating. As opposed to G movies, strong horror elements can be present; these are usually accompanied with the Horror tag (i.e.: Friday the 13th
Friday the 13th (2009 film)
Friday the 13th is a 2009 American slasher film directed by Marcus Nispel and written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift. It is a reboot of the Friday the 13th film series, which began in 1980 and the twelfth Friday the 13th film in total...
and Hannibal Rising). Vulgar Language is more prevalent and scenes of sexual acts or nudity can be more explicit (i.e.: Deception
Deception (2008 film)
Deception is a 2008 drama/thriller film, directed by Marcel Langenegger and written by Mark Bomback. It stars Ewan McGregor, Hugh Jackman, and Michelle Williams. The film was released on April 25, 2008 in the United States.-Plot:...
, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, Observe and Report
Observe and Report
Observe and Report is a 2009 American comedy film written and directed by Jody Hill, starring Seth Rogen, Anna Faris and Ray Liotta.-Plot:...
, Alpha Dog
Alpha Dog
Alpha Dog is a 2007 crime drama film written and directed by Nick Cassavetes, first screened at the Sundance Film Festival on January 27, 2006, with a wide release the following year on January 12, 2007. The film is based on the true story of the kidnapping and murder of 15-year-old Nicholas...
and Sex Drive
Sex Drive (film)
Sex Drive is a 2008 sex comedy film about a high school graduate who goes on a cross-country road trip to hook up with a girl he met online. It is based on the novel All the Way, by Andy Behrens. The film was directed by Sean Anders, and stars Josh Zuckerman, Clark Duke, Amanda Crew, and Katrina...
).
16+ movies are usually movies with more explicit violence than what a 13+ movie can afford. Most of these cases, a movie deals with extreme violence. Rambo
Rambo (film)
Rambo is a 2008 German/American Action film starring Sylvester Stallone returning and reprising his famous role as legendary Cold War/Vietnam veteran John Rambo. Stallone also co-wrote and directed the film. It is the fourth and most recent installment in the Rambo franchise, twenty years since...
, Smokin' Aces
Smokin' Aces
Smokin' Aces is a 2006 crime film, written and directed by Joe Carnahan. It stars Jeremy Piven as a Las Vegas magician turned mafia informant and Ryan Reynolds as the FBI agent assigned to protect him...
, Crank: High Voltage, Hannibal
Hannibal (film)
Hannibal is a 2001 psychological thriller film directed by Ridley Scott, adapted from the Thomas Harris novel of the same name. It is a sequel to the 1991 Academy Award-winning film The Silence of the Lambs that returns Anthony Hopkins to his iconic role as serial killer Hannibal Lecter...
and Pulp Fiction
Pulp Fiction (film)
Pulp Fiction is a 1994 American crime film directed by Quentin Tarantino, who co-wrote its screenplay with Roger Avary. The film is known for its rich, eclectic dialogue, ironic mix of humor and violence, nonlinear storyline, and host of cinematic allusions and pop culture references...
are all examples of 16+ rated movies featuring violence. In some cases, it can be for sex and nudity, and that rating usually occurs to soft-core pornography. Horror elements can also be present, although in these cases, they are mostly mixed with violence (i.e.: the Saw series). In rare cases, a movie is rated 16+ for the language it uses (i.e.: Clerks II
Clerks II
Clerks II is a 2006 American comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith, sequel to his 1994 film Clerks, and his sixth and latest feature film to be set in the View Askewniverse...
and Strange Wilderness
Strange Wilderness
Strange Wilderness is a 2008 comedy-adventure film produced by Adam Sandler's production company, Happy Madison Productions for Paramount Pictures, and starring Steve Zahn, Allen Covert, Justin Long, Kevin Heffernan, and Jonah Hill.-Cast:...
).
18+ movies are mostly hard-core pornography movies, but they can also feature movies of extreme violence and gore. Hostel, Hostel: Part II, Fight Club
Fight Club (film)
Fight Club is a 1999 American film based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk. The film was directed by David Fincher and stars Edward Norton, Brad Pitt and Helena Bonham Carter. Norton plays the unnamed protagonist, an "everyman" who is discontented with his white-collar job...
, Wolf Creek
Wolf Creek (film)
Wolf Creek is a 2005 independent Australian horror film written, co-produced and directed by Greg McLean. The story revolves around three backpackers who find themselves held captive by a serial killer in the Australian outback...
, Natural Born Killers
Natural Born Killers
Natural Born Killers is a 1994 crime/black comedy film directed by Oliver Stone about two victims of traumatic childhoods who became lovers and psychopathic serial killers, and are irresponsibly glorified by the mass media...
, The Shining
The Shining (film)
The Shining is a 1980 psychological horror film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, co-written with novelist Diane Johnson, and starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, and Danny Lloyd. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King. A writer, Jack Torrance, takes a job as an...
and Philosophy of a Knife
Philosophy of a Knife
Philosophy of a Knife is a 2008 film by Russian director Andrey Iskanov. It covers the Japanese Army's Unit 731, mixing archival footage, interviews, and extremely graphic reenactments of experiments performed there.- Production :...
are a few examples. It is rare that a normal movie will get a 18+ rating for the language or horror elements it has. Sometimes, nudity and sex is good enough to warrant a 18+ rating without going into the edges of pornography, but is usually accompanied by another indication, such as violence.
While not a classification per se, educational or pedagogical movies, sport and physical exercise programs, and promotional materials are exempt from classification.
The Régie does not cut sequences from movies; they are rated in the format provided by the production company. Nonetheless, the Régie has the authority to deny classification, in which case the movie cannot be distributed in any format in the province of Québec. Such movies usually feature inhumane sexual exploitation.
See also
- Canadian motion picture rating systemCanadian motion picture rating systemMotion picture ratings in Canada are mostly a provincial responsibility, and each province has its own legislation regarding exhibition and admission...
- Canadian Home Video Rating SystemCanadian Home Video Rating SystemThe Canadian Home Video Rating System is a voluntary rating classification system applied to home video products such as VHS and DVDs. It is administered by the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association and as such they appear on American home videos distributed in Canada and not genuine...
, the English-speaking equivalent of the Régie's ratings for home video materials