A screenwriter is furious that young teenagers cannot experience his new film because censors have given it an 18 certificate.

Ralph Brown's teen drama New Year's Day, released tonight, features two 16-year-old boys who make a secret suicide pact.

Before the boys kill themselves, they must complete 12 tasks, which range from burning down their school and punching a policeman to robbing a bank and crashing a car.

Brighton-based Ralph, who is best known for his acting roles in Withnail and I, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace and Wayne's World 2, assumed his debut film would be classified 15.

He said: "There is no sex and only a very small amount of violence. I never thought it would be classified 18. It's a film about young people, about what it's like to be 16 and on the edge of adulthood.

"You're not a child but the world refuses to treat you like an adult. I think 16-year-olds should be treated like adults. Obviously the British Board of Film Censors don't agree."

Ralph wrote New Year's Day with young people in mind and hoped it would open up debate about teenage suicide.

He said: "Suicide, death and drugs are issues young people are faced with every day.

"Suicide is the biggest killer of young men in this country. Unless we start talking about it, it will continue to be a hidden killer of teenagers."

However, censors feared the film could have a negative influence on vulnerable viewers.

Sue Clark, from the British Board of Film Censors, said the organisation would have been very irresponsible to have given the film a 15 certificate.

She said: "The boys rob a bank with no question of retribution. They don't pay for any of the things they do.

"There's no balance and that's the message this film is sending out, that it's okay to set fire to a school or attack a vagrant and perform an operation on him because you're going to kill yourself anyway.

"We have to address the whole question of whether young people might feel inclined to imitate things they see. If you have someone in the 15 to 18 age group who is feeling stressed out, unhappy and miserable, they're vulnerable.

"We have to take that into account and that is why this film has been given an 18 certificate and not a 15."

The 18 certificate will even stop some cast members from seeing their own work.

Ralph said: "The film is about young people and we cast some teenage actors from Sussex.

"Some of the cast are under 18, which means they won't be able to see it, which I find extremely upsetting.

"The young people involved with New Year's Day liked the film because it represented their point of view and didn't patronise them."

Brighton actor Bobby Barry plays Steven, one of the two boys involved in the suicide pact.

Aged 19, he is old enough to watch the film but can't understand why other young people should not.

He said: "I'm really surprised to hear of its certificate. I don't think it is detrimental to young people at all. I think it's a really good film and I'd recommend young people to go and see it."

New Year's Day, which premiered at Brighton Marina last week, opens tonight at the UGC Cinema at Brighton Marina.