Film festival places trigger warnings before classic James Bond movies: ‘Will cause offense’

The British Film Institute (BFI) has added trigger warnings for its forthcoming season of classic films as a tribute to British film composer John Barry, which includes James Bond movies. As per The Guardian and The Daily Mail, the movies presented during the “John Barry: Soundtracking Bond and Beyond” BFI season will include a caveat indicating that they may offend some viewers. Some of these films include the Sean Connery era Bond films to which Barry contributed music, such as the 1967's “You Only Live Twice” and 1964's “Goldfinger”. This warning, available on the BFI website, states that several of these films may include language, imagery, or content that, while typical for their era, may be offensive today (and was when the films were released). The website also highlights that the films are included for historical, cultural, or aesthetic reasons and their views are not endorsed by BFI or its partners. Descriptions of other films in the season like “Midnight Cowboy,” “The Ipcress File,” and “Petulia” also include specific warnings regarding themes such as outdated racial stereotypes, use of homophobic language, sexual violence, and scenes of domestic violence. As reported by The Telegraph, such warnings can also be found outside BFI’s cinema halls in London. The BFI spokesperson explained to Fox News Digital that trigger warnings appear at the point of sale and in their printed guide and website copy related to the season. The spokesperson referenced a 2021 study by the British Board of Film Classification that suggested that more than half of the teenagers supported trigger warnings on films that could potentially have adverse effects on their mental health. The spokesperson quoted Tina McFarling, BFI’s Head of Strategic Communications, who noted that while it was necessary to preserve films, it was equally vital to consider their presentation to audiences and that trigger warnings act as a guidance to viewers about potentially offensive content.