Three British teenage girls go on a rites-of-passage holiday, drinking, clubbing and hooking up in what should be the best summer of their lives. As they dance their way across the sun- drenched streets of Malia, they find themselves navigating the complexities of sex, consent and self-discovery. Captured with lush visuals and a pitch-perfect soundtrack, Molly Manning Walker’s directorial debut, How to Have Sex, paints a painfully familiar portrait of young adulthood, and how first sexual experiences should – or shouldn’t – play out.
How to Have Sex stars Screen Stars of Tomorrow 2023 & 2024 EE BAFTA Rising Star winner Mia McKenna-Bruce (Persuasion, Kindling) and BAFTA-nominated Samuel Bottomley (Somewhere Boy, Ladhood), alongside Lara Peake (Mood, Brave New World), Shaun Thomas (Ali & Ava, The Long Shadow), and newcomers Enva Lewis and Laura Ambler.
Manning’s hope for the film to capture both the highs and lows of being a teenager. It’s about the darkness of sexual assault, yes, but also the resilience, and the parties – and, ultimately, the fun of it all. “Partying has given me a place to thrive in, it’s given me new friends and solace,” the filmmaker says. “I think it’s important to remember the joys of these spaces too.”
As a first feature film, I think How To Have Sex is quite well done. Manning Walker has written a young person’s story that is honest and relatable in various ways. Her cast excels in their respective roles as well. I am certainly interested in seeing what else they work in next.
Ryan McNeil of The Matinee Podcast invited me to discuss the film. Sharing the link below so you can hear more of what we have to say about this film.
How to Have Sex is a vibrant and honest depiction of the agonies, ecstasies and ride-or-die glory of young female friendship. This award-winning and critically acclaimed is currently streaming exclusively on MUBI in Canada.
