I, Daniel Blake regulation

When Ken Loach received the Palme D'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival 2016 for the film I, Daniel Blake the director publicly recognised and commented on the film's political message, prior to the BBFC rating it. h

"When there is despair, the people from the far right take advantage. We must say that another world is possible and necessary"

In June of the same year the distributors, Entertainment One, sought advice from BBFC in hopes of a 12A age certificate. But when Compliance Managers viewed the film they gave it a 15, this was due to;

"a single use of very strong language ('c**t') and just shy of thirty uses of strong language ('f**k')."

The use of very strong language is said in anger, but is not particularly aggressive and is not aggravated by other factors. BBFC classification guides at 15 state that:

'Strong language is permitted. Very strong language may be permitted, depending on the manner in which it is used, who is using the language, its frequency within the work as a whole and any special contextual justification.'

Other issues in the film are sex references, including to prostitution out of necessity, prescription drug use, criminality; and some unintentional racism, which may have been acceptable at the requested 12A with appropriate advice for consumers in the 'BBFC insight' for the film. 

Compliance Managers told Entertainment One that they would be required to reduce the amount of strong language in the film to obtain the 12A they sought as well as noting in reports that the film would likely have limited appeal to 15 year olds.