Baby-Friendly Screenings at East Dulwich Picturehouse – Too Restrictive?

[TheOG]

I was surprised to learn that East Dulwich Picturehouse now only screens PG-rated films for their baby-friendly showings, unlike other Picturehouse branches. Apparently, this change happened after a complaint to the council about showing films above a PG rating to infants. Afaik, this policy only applies to this  branch.

As a local parent, I find this frustrating. It limits our options, especially when many of us would love the chance to watch a wider range of films while caring for our little ones. For example, during Oscar Week, only one vintage film is being shown. Are we really expected to only consume toddler-focused content, like Cocomelon?

I also worry about the precedent this sets. If other institutions, like the Tate or the National Portrait Gallery, applied similar restrictions, parents could be left with only child-oriented content. Babies under one don’t fully comprehend adult themes, so shouldn’t there be more flexibility?

I’d love to hear what others think—should this policy be reconsidered?

Edited March 4 by TheOG
Speeding occur

[crustwork222]

Wow, where does it say this? Is this why the Bridget Jones screening was cancelled? Agree it’s ridiculous, and a real shame for mums as baby cinema is a nice bit of normality in the first year. Can’t believe they changed their policy off of one complaint? 

[TheOG]

The staff in there told me about today, as I went in the ask what happened to the schedule. They don’t have anything official written up. 

please feel to email them inquiring about the issue and or complain. 

customerservice@picturehouses.co.uk

 

customerservice[at]picturehouses.co.uk

I for one was really looking forward to seeing some films in the coming months. 

Edited March 4 by TheOG

[Sue]

  On 04/03/2025 at 21:47, TheOG said:

The staff in there told me about today. They don’t anything official written up. 

please feel to email them inquiring about the issue and or complain. 

customerservice@picturehouses.co.uk

I for one was really looking forward to seeing some films in the coming months. 

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That seems really odd.

Was it really after just one complaint to the council? Do the council have a say in the cinema's policies?

You would think that if the Picture House agreed that this change in policy was reasonable, they would apply it to all their cinemas.

What is the upper age of the children at the baby friendly showings, or is one not specified?

I'm not sure how I feel about the actual policy, I'm just surprised about why and how it has apparently been so suddenly implemented.

Edited March 4 by Sue

[TheOG]

  On 04/03/2025 at 22:07, Sue said:

That seems really odd.

Was it really after just one complaint to the council? Do the council have a say in the cinema's policies?

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I agree it is odd. This is why I have contacted the cinema’s management via email. 

 

  On 04/03/2025 at 22:07, Sue said:

how it has apparently been so suddenly implemented.

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Right now, they are implementing it by not showing films with a maturity rating of greater than PG. 

[Sue]

  On 04/03/2025 at 22:12, TheOG said:

Right now, they are implementing it by not showing films with a maturity rating of greater than PG. 

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Sorry, I wasn't clear.

It was more the suddenness I was questioning, rather than how they were actually putting it into practice!

[Nigello]

Sounds like over-cautious, fearful and patronising jobsworthiness on the part of the management. Makes one weep. 

Edited March 5 by Nigello

[Sue]

  On 05/03/2025 at 15:53, Nigello said:

Sounds like over-cautious, fearful and patronising jobsworthiness on the part of the management. Makes one weep. 

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It does sound like that on the face of it, but it may depend on the upper  age of the children who are going to the sessions?

Does the cinema actually specify anything re age?

I know you could say it's at the parents' discretion, but I'm not sure if showing an over 18 movie to kids old enough to understand what's going on (or possibly be frightened by it) would be legal?

Or if anyone at all under 18 is legally not allowed in?

I don't know how it works. Is it like pubs?

[snowy]

It's 12 months old maximum
 

ED Picturehouse is selling tickets for a 12A on their website today: https://www.picturehouses.com/movie-details/000/HO00015929/international-women-s-day-twiggy-short-film-the-long-walk/0000000008?cinema=009

 

 

Edited March 5 by snowy
Edited typo of mim to mum

[hfoster]

The BBFC age classification is slightly different for cinemas. You get parental discretion when buying something in a shop like a Blu-ray or video game, but cinemas cannot admit under 15s for 15 films, and 18s for 18 films. 

https://www.bbfc.co.uk/rating/15

[CPR Dave]

What kind of awful Mary Whitehouse worshipping sadsack would report this to the council ffs. 

If you don't want ypur child to be in the cinema when there is an 18 movie on, just don't go. 

There's no need to spoil everyone else's fun.

[Angelina]

seems perfectly sensible to restrict cert 18 but would have thought cert 15 are acceptable.

we don't know what the complaint was or if the measures taken by the cinema address it or go too far.

if there was a scenario when an infant was in a regular screening, then I would completely understand the complaint.

if the complaint was from someone who attended a parent screening, then - well, I guess it depends what was on!

if the complaint was from someone who has not involvement or experience then the cinema surely wouldn't have taken measures based  on it

 

[Nigello]

  On 06/03/2025 at 10:39, Angelina said:

seems perfectly sensible to restrict cert 18 but would have thought cert 15 are acceptable.

we don't know what the complaint was or if the measures taken by the cinema address it or go too far.

if there was a scenario when an infant was in a regular screening, then I would completely understand the complaint.

if the complaint was from someone who attended a parent screening, then - well, I guess it depends what was on!

if the complaint was from someone who has not involvement or experience then the cinema surely wouldn't have taken measures based  on it

 

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? Are you new to 21st C Britain? Performative, over-abundant cautiousness and eggshell phobia are endemic. 

[Angelina]

Why would you take a new born or toddler to see an Adult rated film? Just get a babysitter

[Penguin68]

  On 07/03/2025 at 10:56, Angelina said:

Why would you take a new born or toddler to see an Adult rated film? Just get a babysitter

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Maybe because it's a film you want to see, and you know that a babe-in-arms (not perhaps toddler) is not going to be impacted by it, and you're anyway going stir-crazy.

I think, with actual babies, it ought to be parental choice, but perhaps the cinema should give warnings if there are flashing lights, explosions and loud noises, in case your baby is sensitive.

But as regards 'content' - a baby will not be influenced by anything said or on screen - they don't have the cognition or language skills to process it, and if adults with tiny children want to get out of the house, and perhaps be with friends, why not?

Toddlers however may be a different issue.

But remember you're not taking the baby to to the cinema for its benefit but for yours. The sort of things actual babes in arms want to watch (repetitive dancing fruit) are anyway not on general release in cinemas!

[Earl Aelfheah]

I suspect the cinema management had little choice once a complaint is made. But why someone would feel the need to complain to the council is beyond me.

[CPR Dave]

It was for people with babies under one year old. 

 

Looks like it's been canned altogether after next week. What a shame. 

https://www.picturehouses.com/event-details/0000000008/watch-with-baby/100

 

[Angelina]

Makes me wonder what the complaint was and why such extreme measures have been implemented.

[Penguin68]

I suspect that it might not, for our cinema, be that good an earner. Which would be a perfectly good commercial reason to can it. If the sessions were making net money then they might have stayed, perhaps. The costs of running special sessions with babies must be higher than for 'normal' sessions, I'm guessing.

[alice]

Unless it’s a legal requirement, I cannot see how one complainant could’ve changed the policy people complain about things all the time. 

[Angelina]

Unless anyone is inclined to ask the cinema, I guess we'll just not know. 

I'm not going to - and I'm not going to speculate either.

[Earl Aelfheah]

  On 07/03/2025 at 14:58, alice said:

Unless it’s a legal requirement, I cannot see how one complainant could’ve changed the policy people complain about things all the time. 

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Looking at the link @hfoster posted above I think it is a matter of law, but obviously most people wouldn't see as any kind of issue for kids under 12 months. Once some busybody makes a complaint though, the cinema probably have little choice but to apply the strict letter of the law.

[radnrach]

One of my favourite things to do when my kids were under 1 was going to the cinema once a week (at the time, it was Peckhamplex. One of my favourites was Black Swan. It was such a great relief to be able to sit with my (usually sleeping or nursing) baby (who had absolutely no idea or care what was on the screen) and do something properly grown up that I enjoy. It would be such a shame for that not to be the case. 

[TheOG]

  On 07/03/2025 at 10:56, Angelina said:

Why would you take a new born or toddler to see an Adult rated film? Just get a babysitter

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Because it would cost 50£ to attend the cinema and also because of said new born I like to be in bed at 9pm.