ABERYSTWYTH Arts Centre bosses have explained why a Welsh language film without English subtitles shot on location in the town has an 18 rating, compared to the subtitled version’s 15 rating - and it is not because Welsh speakers find a glimpse of stocking too shocking or are more sensitive to violence.

Aberystwyth Arts Centre, which is showing both the subtitled and unsubtitled versions of The Library Suicides (Y Llyfrgell), said that the British Board of Film Classification had not rated the unsubtitled version, so it has to be listed by cinemas as an 18.

The BBFC rated the subtitled film, which was shot in The National Library of Wales and has been featured at several worldwide film festivals, as a 15.

An Aberystwyth Arts Centre spokesperson said the rating difference “is not a mistake”.

“The non-subtitled version has not been rated by the BBFC so we have to list it as an 18 rather than a 15, but essentially it is exactly the same film,” the spokesperson said.

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