In our last (for now) episode, we chat to John Kelleher who was appointed Irish film censor in 2003. When he left in 2009, the Irish Film Censor's Office had been renamed the Irish Film Classification Office, a reform that reflected how it had become, as John says 'more guide dog than guard dog'.

Until the pod returns, thanks to everyone for listening!

A & LM xx

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Censors have been replaced by classifiers, opaque silence by annual reports. We read recent annual reports from the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) and the Irish Film Classification Office (IFCO) to see how those offices work in a digital media age, and to see what the (complaining) public thinks of their role.

Films mentioned

Minions: the Rise of Gru

Ghostbusters

Watership Down

Bambi

Star Trek the Motion Picture

Nutcracker (by Matthew Bourne)

The Batman

Batman Returns

A Man Called Otto

The Banshees of Inisherin

Saltburn

Cocaine Bear

Benedetta

BBFC 2022 Annual Report

IFCO published reports

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This remarkable neo-noir, directed by Abel Ferrara, has never been certified by the Irish Film Classification Office (the new name for the censor’s office). Aoife and Lloyd Meadhbh are joined by author Rob Doyle to discuss how Abel Ferrara and Zoe Lund, with backgrounds in porno sleaze, made a sincere film about redemption, and forgiveness.

Bad Lieutenant dir. Abel Ferrara, starring Harvey Keitel

Rob Doyle

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