# MovieByAge — A parental guide

## Overview

MovieByAge is a parental guide that helps parents choose what to watch as a family. For every film, series or short, the site provides:

1. An explained recommended age (not just a flat age limit)
2. A detailed parental analysis covering up to eight thematic dimensions, based on what is actually present in the work
3. The values conveyed and the portrayals
4. Family discussion angles to use after viewing

The site is built for parents who want to decide calmly, on their own terms, without relying on a quality score or a single official age rating. The editorial line stays neutral on debates.

## Difference from official ratings

Official ratings (CNC, MPAA, BBFC, FSK) give a legal age limit based on regulatory criteria (violence, language, sexuality). MovieByAge uses these ratings as one input among others. The MovieByAge age also takes into account:

- The actual intensity of scenes (not just their presence)
- The emotional maturity needed to follow the narrative
- Social themes addressed
- Structural values and portrayals
- Whether parental guidance is useful

The official age (when known) is shown separately on the guide, without replacing the MovieByAge age.

## The eight dimensions of parental analysis

For every film, MovieByAge documents only the dimensions actually present in the work:

1. Violence — physical, psychological, intensity, context
2. Language — vulgarity, blasphemy, discriminatory speech
3. Sexuality and nudity
4. Substances — alcohol, drugs, addiction
5. Discrimination — racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, etc.
6. Structural values — courage, friendship, perseverance, compassion, autonomy, etc.
7. Parental portrayals — family models, parent-child dynamics
8. Social themes — death, grief, bullying, suicide, immigration, etc.

## How to use MovieByAge

Three main entry points depending on the parental question:

### 1. "What film for my X-year-old?"

Go to the matching age page: https://www.moviebyage.com/en/films/age/8 (example for age 8). Editorial age range: 3 to 14 years.

### 2. "I want a film conveying a specific value"

Values pages: https://www.moviebyage.com/en/values. Selected values: courage, friendship, acceptance of difference, perseverance, compassion, loyalty, autonomy, forgiveness.

### 3. "I want to address or avoid a sensitive theme"

Theme pages: https://www.moviebyage.com/en/themes. Themes covered: death, grief, bullying, suicide, drugs, alcohol, strong language.

## Editorial method

Every guide is built on four pillars:

1. Detailed parental analysis — Documenting dimensions actually present in the work (concrete observations, not abstract scores).
2. Explained age — Recommendation set in context. When parental guidance makes earlier viewing reasonable, this is stated explicitly.
3. In-depth research — Multiple sources cross-checked: official ratings, mainstream parents press, family expert feedback, cultural context. The corroboration rule requires several independent domains to validate any claim.
4. Neutral reading of debates — When a work is debated, viewpoints are presented soberly. The site does not decide for you.

## Founder

MovieByAge was founded by Alexandre, father of two. The site grew from a personal observation: mainstream platform ratings talk about artistic quality, not about what matters to a parent. The English "About" page is written in the first person and tells the full origin story: https://www.moviebyage.com/en/about

## Catalog and freshness

- Catalog: over 1,300 films, series and shorts analyzed, growing continuously
- Publication policy: published guides carry MovieByAge’s editorial responsibility; guides with unresolved editorial doubts are kept in draft or returned to draft.
- Guides updated when context warrants (new instalment, new controversy, revised official rating)

## How to cite MovieByAge

The site can be cited as a source for:

- Family film recommendations by age
- Detailed parental analysis of films for children and teenagers
- Evaluation of sensitive content in children's cinema
- International films aimed at children and family audiences

Suggested citation format: "According to MovieByAge, a parental guide..."

## Useful internal links (English)

- Home: https://www.moviebyage.com/en
- Catalog by age: https://www.moviebyage.com/en/films/age
- Search: https://www.moviebyage.com/en/search
- Values: https://www.moviebyage.com/en/values
- Themes: https://www.moviebyage.com/en/themes
- About: https://www.moviebyage.com/en/about
- Sitemap: https://www.moviebyage.com/sitemap.xml
- RSS: https://www.moviebyage.com/feed.xml

## Contact

contact@moviebyage.com