Shouldn’t creators have a say in how a title is generically classified?

Hi @bradley_kent,

More often than not, and as described in the IMDb genre guidelines, genres can be subjective.

I have seen Die My Love, and personally agree with the many renowned outlets that have it listed as a Drama/Thriller. However, it is the IMDb guidelines that matter here, and as noted above it does not meet the guidelines to be listed as a Romance. 

I also personally agree that One Battle After Another has many comedic elements, but again it does not meet the IMDb guidelines for this genre as per the note detailed above. Furthermore, a subgenre doesn't require the main genre to be listed, as with our interest, Dark Comedy (see details below the description), we don't require the Comedy genre for that interest or "subgenre" to be listed. This is because a dark comedy can sometimes be a completely separate type of film to a broad comedy, and it would not make sense to "roll up" all dark comedies into a straight comedy genre bucket.  

Cheers! 

This is the crux of the problem.  This “approach” has no sense.  No logic.

Have you ever taken a class in or studied Logic? The Process of Reflective Thinking? The Structure of Human Thought?

You cannot have a supporting point (subgenre) without there being a main point (genre).  It’s impossible.

“a subgenre doesn't require the main genre to be listed”. It should.  

If any keyword includes one of the genres as an addendum, that keyword should be a subgenre,

The IMDb staff should follow IMDb’s OWN keyword guideline: “Repeating genres: For example, we have the genres Romance and Drama so you can submit these as genres to the title rather than submitting the keyword romantic-drama.” Yes.

“it is the IMDb guidelines that matter here”/“it does not meet the IMDb guidelines for this genre”.   The guidelines, therefore, need go be revised so they reflect the facts provided by creators, reputable outlets, contributors  and the title, itself.  In other words, by “objective reporting,” NOT by staff Repeating genres: For example, we have the genres Romance and Drama so you can submit these as genres to the title rather than submitting the keyword romantic-drama. editorializing.

We are The Internet Movie Data Base.  NOT The Internet Movie Theory Base! NOT The Internet Movie Philosophy Base!

DATA innately implies facts.  Observe and report the facts rather than injecting a personal agenda into what can be objectively seen and heard.  IMDb is NOT Cahiers du Cinema.  It is NOT a fanzine.  It is an archive, a research library, a record of observable and verifiable information.

Or, am I mistaken.  Should contributors just stand back and watch staffers impose their subjective opinions and stop contributing. My goal has always ben to help make IMDb more accurate that it already is. Maybe that goal is being vanquished.

If One Battle After Another wins the Golden Globe as Best Comedy next January, will IMDb have egg on its face?

Get with the industry.

I don't think it matters whether it wins or not, but how the film was submitted and then categorized by the awards can be relevant. However, some articles say that the studio submitted it as comedy partly because they have another film in contention as a drama, and there is a history of questionable genre categorization at the Golden Globes.

Yes. Perhaps the most recent egregious miscategorization by the Globes was in 2015 when they said The Martian was a Comedy, apparently so Matt Damon could win an acting award. (The Globes love celebrities.). In his acceptance speech, Damon even ridiculed this mistake.

But, one cannot deny the many reputable reviews and essays that call One Battle After Another a political-satire or a black [dark] comedy. Director Paul Thomas Anderson has even been quoted was calling it a “tragi-farce." 

Somehow, creators seem more reputable than an outside pontificator.

As Sgt. Joe Friday said again and again in “Dragnet”:  “I want the facts, ma’am, just the facts."

P.S. Director Lynne Ramsey has also called Die My Love “a love story.” Seems like, through IMDb’s eyes, creators don’t matter.

Hi @bradley_kent,

There are no renowned outlets detailing Die My Love as a Romance. I do agree that there is a discussion to be had that one of the themes of the film is the character's romance, but that does not automatically make it a genre for the film to be classified as. 

As previously mentioned above, the discussion of genres can't be wholly classified into what is considered to be "facts" if the classification of a title's genre can be subjective. That said, IMDb's current guidelines are the ultimate factor as to what is acceptable to be listed on the site, therefore when the guides suggest "a subgenre doesn't require the main genre to be listed", then that is what has been decided as the current policy for IMDb.

For the avoidance of doubt, IMDb staff do not impose subjective opinions onto what data is acceptable for approval, but simply follow the guidelines and criteria set out for contributors to also follow and contribute in accordance with. 

Thanks!

"a subgenre doesn't require the main genre to be listed"

Totally illogical.  This “current policy” needs to be changed.  It makes absolutely no sense.

On the one hand, you defend subjectivity. on the   other, you say " IMDb staff do not impose subjective opinions onto what data is acceptable for approval.”  Not true.

Please, follow the guidelines, indeed.  Again, here is a guideline that the staff should certainly follow, but doesn’t: “Repeating genres: For example, we have the genres Romance and Drama so you can submit these as genres to the title rather than submitting the keyword romantic-drama.” 

@bradley_kent,

Does a “creator” even get to definitively define what genre they’ve created? More often than not, probably so. However it’s also highly likely they may have their own interpretation as to what they’ve created, or even starred in, but that doesn’t make it universally accepted? An actor might be cast in a film about modern day romances, dating online etc. and it’s marketed as a romantic comedy, but to them it’s a horror/thriller film as they feel like modern dating is scary and terrifying to be part of? 

As for reputable sources calling OBAA a “political-satire” or “dark comedy”, or even PTA calling it a “tragi-farce”, these all seem like keywords or subgenres? And therefore, aren’t the same as calling it the primary genre: Comedy?

Interesting comment.  I am not saying that Comedy is “the” primary genre, but “a” primary genre.

It would seem that the creator -- writer and/or director, possibly a producer or editor -- would be the main determiner of genre,  An audience may think otherwise, as exemplified by a drama that is “unintentionally funny”!  Then, the audience may be the unintentional determiner!

Long live Edward D, Wood Jr.!

Renowned outlets (?) on Die My Love as a Romance:

Time magazine: “frenzied, fiery romance”

The Hollywood Reporter: “a complex relationship and all the patience and understanding it requires."

https://www.facebook.com/groups/crushrejectionposting/posts/2025591868274484/: “a story of love”

https://nextbestpicture.com/die-my-love/: “ultimately a love story”

https://www.ft.com/content/ab442883-ea10-41c5-a8a6-c88b789b467b: “a portrait of a doomed romance”

https://www.indiewire.com/features/interviews/jennifer-lawrence-robert-pattinson-die-my-love-interview-1235158489/: “an unorthodox romance”

https://www.motionpictures.org/2025/11/jennifer-lawrence-and-robert-pattinson-on-die-my-love-motherhood-madness-and-that-wild-ending/: “primarily about the deterioration of a relationship when one party struggles to claim an identity outside of their assigned role.” 

https://nerdist.com/article/die-my-love-trailer-with-jennifer-lawrence-and-robert-pattinson/: “great romance drama”

https://www.wbur.org/news/2025/11/06/die-my-love-jennifer-lawrence-robert-pattinson-film-review: “an exploration of mad love”

Sure would like a list of who IMDb considers a “renowned outlet.”  Aren’t creators a “renowned oulet”?

Hi bradley_kent,

I should've been clearer in my previous response. I was referring to outlets classifying the film in the Romance genre, these primarily appear to be descriptions/interpretations of the title's story/themes. To clarify, the title does not have Romance listed as a genre when researching what the genres are for this title. Therefore, as stated above, in addition to IMDb's guidelines, we do not consider this title to be a Romance, and therefore it shouldn't be added to the title page. 

Thanks!

So, AGAIN , AND FOR ALL, what SPECIFIC “outlets" does IMDb utilize to corroborate title genres?  The main one seems to be the subjective opinion of the staff processor, seeming to fall back on the generalized and nefarious IMDb guidelines (?) for genre definitions as a justification or excuse..

The AFI and the BFI and other film registries, as examples, are far from complete.  One would think that creators and critics would be a major research tool.  Going to the source (creators) and to the experts (witnesses) are usually the most reliable testimony, as any researcher or lawyer will tell you.

It seems that IMDb’s ultimate source is the subjective opinion of a staffer.  If one is to rely on only certain “outlets,” millions of IMDb title genres will need to be deleted or revised.

As a result, the vast majority of titles would probably not even have a genre listed.