Southsea Cinema will screen the documentary exploring diets, animal products and climate change

All the World is Green a documentary about the impact of the food industry on climate change, has been given a 12 certificate by Portsmouth City Council.

The council’s licensing sub-committee met today to decide on an age classification for the documentary, which is due to be screened at Southsea Cinema on Palmerston Road.

The council has statutory powers to determine age classifications using the categories produced by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC).

The film is due to be screened at the community cinema and venue in either October or November.

The documentary explores the impact our diet, and the widespread proliferation of animal products, has on climate change.

Directed by Mirko Pincelli, the film showcases scientists, academics, activists, journalists and philosophers from China to the USA.

It argues that the global demand for animal products dominates the food system, enriching a small group of corporations at the expense of the planet.

After watching the film with councillors Hannah Brent and Lamara Fudge, the chair of the committee, Cllr Richard Adair, said the film “hit hard”.

“It wasn’t easy watching and in some ways it shouldn’t be because it’s a very contentious subject.

“I’m a meat eater, I wish I wasn’t and I watched that film and I did feel quite guilty.

“It was hard hitting but I didn’t think it was gratuitous, the scenes concerning animal suffering didn’t linger on for too long.”

He added the footage of animal suffering was “just enough to show us what was going on, not enough to make it overly horrifying.”

The committee deliberated between a 12, 12A or 15 certificate.

At one point, the committee agreed on a 12A before realising this would allow children younger than 12 to see the film if accompanied by an adult.

When reading out the decision, Cllr Adair said the sub-committee was satisfied with a 12 rating, meaning no one younger than 12 can be permitted to see the film.

He said that while animal suffering was shown, it didn’t “linger or dwell unnecessarily”, but that children below 12 could find it distressing.