Overview
After you get a film distribution licence or register your community screening event, you can apply to get a film rating for feature films, trailers or other content to be screened in Alberta theatres.
You must get a rating before you can screen content in Alberta theatres. There is a fee for each film you get rated.
Once the content is rated, the rating will be published online. The online classification listing is the official record of the film’s rating. There is no printed certificate.
Please provide 3 to 5 weeks of lead time for staff to schedule your film for classification prior to public screening.
You don't need to get a film rated if the screening is free.
Ratings fees for commercial distributors
Ratings fees are determined both by the type of content and by the number of theatre screens it will be displayed on in Alberta. The following fees are effective as of April 1, 2018:
Feature
- $2.40 CAD per minute for the rating of a film, which includes one screen in Alberta
- Additional screens cost $1.20 CAD per minute for each screen
Filmed live performance
Examples of filmed live performances include a live broadcast of a concert, opera or theatre performance.
- $1.20 CAD per minute for each screen in Alberta
Other costs
All distributors, including commercial and non-profit organizations, are responsible for the arrangement and payment of shipping of submitted film materials for classification.
Film format submission
Whenever possible, films should be delivered to Alberta Film Classification as a Digital Cinema Package (DCP).
If DCP is unavailable, other high quality video sources will be accepted, including:
- Blu-ray
- high resolution video files
- professional online screeners, such as Vimeo
If the quality of the format provided is low, staff reserves the right to require a higher quality screening format.
Report the final number of screens
To finalize ratings fees, you must report the total number of screens in Alberta on which the films will be displayed.
You may provide this information after the film has received its rating, when the final number of screens has been confirmed.
Get a rating
Fill out the form below to get a film rating.