Teaching Film Censorship and Controversy
by Mark Readman
This incisive guide provides a much-needed summary of the complex issues surrounding film censorship and controversy. Always a potentially problematic curriculum area, given the nature of the material under examination, the guide offers some practical suggestions for teaching about the determining factors in, and ideological importance of, censorship and classification. In addition there are proposed strategies for discussing 'problem films', analysing texts and debating the nature of effects.
Contents include:
- Introduction: Assessment contexts
- Approaches to teaching; Schemes of work
- Background: The BBFC; Controversial issues; The 'effects' model; Sex and violence; Shock
- Case studies: Violence - Funny Games; Sexual Violence - Irreversible; Language - Sweet Sixteen; Press controversy - Crash; For and against censorship - Forna vs Kermode
About the Author
Mark Readman is a Programme Manager in Media Production and Advanced Practitioner at Bridgwater College in Somerset. He has more than ten years' experience in media education, has moderated A level Media Studies production work at senior level and is currently an Assessor and an External Verifier for two of the English awarding bodies. He is also the author of Teaching Scriptwriting, Screenplays and Storyboards for Film and TV Production in this series.
Ordering Information
Catalogue no: BR152 £24.95
Buy online from the BFI Filmstore or phone Palgrave Macmillan Orders on 01256 302866.
Download resources
This guide is supported by student worksheets and additional notes, please view a free sample worksheet (PDF). To download the student handouts for Teaching Film Censorship and Controversy please login using the username and password issued when you purchased a copy of the teaching guide. This section also includes case studies and further activities for students.

