How to Have Sex

2023 1h 31m EN

😐

6.2

MID

★6.2TMDB · 544

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

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.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Mia McKenna-Bruce
Tara
Lara Peake
Skye
Enva Lewis
Em
Samuel Bottomley
Paddy
Shaun Thomas
Badger
Laura Ambler
Paige
Eilidh Loan
Fi
Daisy Jelley
Gemma

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Molly Manning Walker
Writers: Molly Manning Walker
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom, Greece, France, Belgium

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 3 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 4 countries: United Kingdom, Greece, France, Belgium.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Molly Manning Walker, shot by Nicolas Canniccioni. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by James Jacob. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Fin Oates shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Mia McKenna-Bruce and Lara Peake and Enva Lewis carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt22890246 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Molly Manning Walker directs. Nicolas Canniccioni behind the camera. James Jacob scores. Fin Oates cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United Kingdom, Greece, France, Belgium. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 3 years ago.
2International production across 4 countries: United Kingdom, Greece, France, Belgium.
3Directed by Molly Manning Walker, shot by Nicolas Canniccioni. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by James Jacob. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Fin Oates shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Mia McKenna-Bruce and Lara Peake and Enva Lewis carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt22890246 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 16 themes, including "female friendship", "crete", "coming of age", "teenage girl".
9Released under 11 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Nicolas Canniccioni
Original score: James Jacob
Editing: Fin Oates
Production design: Luke Moran-Morris
Costume design: George Buxton
Makeup / hair: Marta Wozniak
Sound: Steve Fanagan
Stunt coordinator: Sotiris Kraniotis
Runtime: 91 min · 1h 31m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $1,216,642
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: How to Have Sex (2023)

Awards

Un certain regard Award
European Film Award for European Discovery of the Year

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Molly Manning Walker

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Lachlan Thiele2023-05-28
★ 7/10
INT. HOLIDAY HORRORS - NIGHT Tara, Em and Skye have all come to the party, and party HARD. The story consists of these three friends on holiday that are down to fuck; Tara, in particular, will be her first time. This coming-of-age story is entirely a downer, but with some of the most exciting dance and party scenes with music that goes hard, it's impossible to look away. With Em and Skye, Tara has an Angel and Devil on her shoulders telling her what to do, think and feel. Badger, her love interest, starts as a rave-head looking to bang but grows into a compassionate friend amongst these horny young adults. Hats off to the performances of Tara Mia McKenna-Bruce and Badger Shaun Thomas and the wicked soundtrack. FADE OUT.
CinemaSerf2023-11-04
★ 6/10
I think any parent of a late-teenage child will be mortified at what goes on when three girls head off to Heraklion in search of sun, sea and sex. They arrive full of beans - determined too have a good time and to get laid. We quickly learn that "Tara" (Mia McKenna-Bruce) has yet to experience that, and she is keen to tick that particular event from her bucket list. Together with pals "Skye" (Lara Peake) and "Em" (Enva Lewis) they hook up with the folks whose balcony is next door. "Tara" takes a bit of a shine to tattooed, van driver, "Badger" (Shaun Thomas) who is there with his friends "Paddy" (Samuel Bottomley) and "Paige" (Laura Ambler). It's on their third night that the film stops being a video-diary of hedonistic behaviour as her friend "Badger" gets blown away by a poolside experience and she finds herself on her own, then on the beach with... What now ensues begin the elements that provides the crux of the point of the film. When is what we want not what we want, when does yes not really mean yes - or it means yes because you just want to get something over with, or yes because you are just curious, or yes because you are too stoked up to think anything through - and are in the arms of a charismatic person? This isn't a violent film in any graphic sense, but it does have quite an emotionally potent impact for a while as the very much on-form McKenna-Bruce juggles her outward, bouncy and lively persona, with a young woman who is still very much growing up - and vulnerable. I didn't love the last twenty minutes - they robbed the film of the much of the ambiguity that hitherto had made it poignant and a talking point. At this point the behaviour becomes just plain wrong and odious - before they all head home. This is a story about a girl, but it could just as easily be about a boy - under self and peer imposed pressures to perform/conform unaware of the longer-term consequences of sand getting everywhere. Snag for me is that the film is just too much of a fly-on-the-wall documentary for the most part. We have to wait too long before the story starts to make it's point effectively, and then I think it rather rushes and compromises the message. It's still worth a watch, though - and McKenna-Bruce is very confident and impressive.
Manuel São Bento2023-11-27
★ 7/10
FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://fandomwire.com/how-to-have-sex-review-a-thought-provoking-debut/ "How to Have Sex lives up to high expectations, offering a thought-provoking exploration of consent, societal complicity with rape, and adolescent struggles. Mia McKenna-Bruce's breakthrough performance authentically captures the protagonist's profound transformation as Molly Manning Walker boldly leaves pivotal conversations unspoken, mirroring society's avoidance of uncomfortable truths. Technically impressive, the haunting sound mixing enhances the narrative complexity, seamlessly fitting the thematic atmosphere. An urgent call to viewers to reflect on their own behaviors or lack thereof." Rating: B+