In 1968, Robert-Claude Bérubé created film ratings meant to replace the old ones that were maintained by the church and were based on moral judgement. The new ratings, going from 1 to 7, instead consider the artistic merits of a film. A rating of 1 is considered the very best ("chef d'oeuvre", or masterpiece), while 7 is the very worst.
The organisation in charge of those ratings only gives a rating of 1 to movies that are at least 20 years old. These movies tend to fulfill one or more of the following criteria:
- pioneers of cinema (esthetic, technical, etc.)
- major works of a specific genre or movement
- major works by highly praised directors
