To determine a request for the licence holder to show to the public a number of short films that have not been classified by the British Board of Film Classification.

The request to show the short films has been made by Essex International Film Festival. The films would be shown at Harwich Electric Palace between the 27^th and 30^th March 2025.

The Sub-Committee heard that the Essex International Film Festival would be the first county-wide event of its kind, celebrating the best of regional and international film talent. The festival would take place over one-weekend (27th to 30th March 2025) as the start of an annual initiative ‘jam-packed’ with screenings, masterclasses and networking events focused on bringing together professional like-minded individuals as well as providing a platform for emerging industry talent.

Taking place across venues throughout the county, the festival would aim to put Essex on the map as an industry leading hub for film, supporting local and professional emerging filmmakers and making world-class independent cinema accessible across the county. The festival would be co-directed by three acclaimed industry professionals including Lily Streames, Charles Sharman-Cox, and Iain B. McDonald. The organisers would also be founders of the Essex Film Collective; a community of talented, reliable creatives who worked across all areas of the film industry that were based in Essex.

Members were informed that as well as a programme of film, the festival would also feature a diverse programme of masterclasses and workshops led by leading industry professionals. Essex International Film Festival would be committed to breaking down barriers within the industry and providing accessible learning opportunities for all. The festival would provide a supportive environment to celebrate and elevate the craft of filmmaking.

The Essex International Film Festival would be supported by the Essex County Council Arts and Cultural Fund, a dedicated grants programme for arts and cultural projects across the Essex County Council administrative area.

By assisting the Essex International Film Festival in providing this classification service at a cost neutral fee, the Council through its Premises / Personal Sub-Committee would be helping to promote and support the town, the District, the local tourist, leisure industries, and the work of local independent filmmakers.

In addition, the Electric Palace Harwich was a special venue locally and provides for a diverse range of film and entertainment that was not always catered for by mainstream venues and which attracted and brought visitors into Harwich as a result. The theatre was therefore always an important destination and venue for Tendring’s tourist and leisure industry.

The Sub-Committee raised concerns over two of the films (‘Typical’ and ‘While You Were Sleeping’) in which the synopsis of the films did not reflect correctly what was viewed in the film. The representative from Essex County Council agreed to pass this on to the Film Festival representatives to be updated.

Andrew Ward from Essex County Council spoke in support of the Film Festival.

The Chairman (Councillor Wiggins) then adjourned the meeting at this time whilst the Sub-Committee retired to deliberate. The Litigation Lawyer (Sarah Opene) and Committee Services Officer (Katie Koppenaal) retired with the Sub-Committee for observatory reasons only.

After one-hour’s deliberation, the meeting resumed and the Chairman (Councillor Wiggins) read out a statement as follows:

“The Sub Committee has given careful consideration to this application for the Essex international film festival taking place between the 27th to 30th March 2025.  In reaching our decision, we have considered our powers under the Licensing Act 2003 and our policy guidelines as regards film classification.       

The Committee is not satisfied that the synopsis for the films Typical and While We Were Sleeping reflect the films we have watched as such we are declining to rate those films.

The Sub-Committee is prepared to grant permission for the other films and has suggested suitable classifications for them namely:

A Matter of Minutes – 15

Accusatus – 15

All the Time – 12a

Atlas – 12A

Autistic Joy – U

Brownies – 12A

Comme Les Cinq Doigts de la Main – 12

Dream Big – U

Dreams – PG

ELSK – To Finnmark with love – U

Estuary Winds – U

Good Choice, Joseph – U

Ha’Penny Dip – 12A

Halfway Between the Land and the Sea – 12A

Hard Times – 15

Harlow Cares – U

Hope Beyond the Threshold – U

I Called You – 12

Little Mary – PG

ManMade – 15

Memory – U

Monk Fruit – PG

Mouse! – 12A

Pas de Deux – 15

Red Bird – 12

Retro – U

Ring Eclipse – PG

Roadside Funeral – 12

Safe – 12A

Sage – PG

Smokescreen – 12A

Spoor – 15

The Back of the House – 12

The Birdwatchers – U

The Carrot – 12

The Fly – U

The God Man – PG

The Jubilee – PG

The Last Dance – 12

The Metronome – PG

The Outing – PG

The Red Ball – PG

The Wake (Russian) – PG

Tunnels – PG

Whippy – 15

Within the Water - PG

Kindly note that the recommendations are subject to the Assistant Director (Governance)’s signing off the Sub-Committee’s recommendations.

There is no right of appeal but the decision can be judicially reviewed.

This Decision is made today, 20th February 2025 and will be confirmed in writing to all parties”