HOW TO HAVE SEX

UK, 2023, 93 minutes, Colour.

Mia McKenna-Bruce, Lara Peake, Enva Lewis, Samuel Bottomley, Shaun Thomas.

Directed by Molly Manning Walker.

There can be many responses to the straightout, rather blunt title. There are those who are pruriently curious – but very quickly they would lose interest. The those who might think this an educational documentary – and, in some ways it is, a docudrama about school leavers, rituals of holidays and freedom, letting go. But, many might suspect – and, of course, this is true at the end – the meaning of the title is actually: How Not to Have Sex.

This film has made quite an impact in the UK but, especially in festivals around the world. It has received to date 43 awards and nominations, including winning the prestigious section at Cannes, Un Certain Regard. Molly Manning Walker has received awards and nominations for her writing and direction. Mia McKenna-Bruce has also won awards for her central performance as Tara.

The target audience is teenage, the central characters here aged 16. And, the focus is on the girls, boys there, in the background, some moments in the foreground, but this is the girls’ story, especially Tara’s. They go to Greece, it is an adventure, sense of freedom – and the three are very much into the boisterously extroverted partying (the first part of the film may not appeal to introverts, that is for the last part, the meaning of the film). The first half hour of the film is almost non-stop partying, noise, music, adolescence making loud whoopee, so to speak.

Tara’s two friends, Skye and Em, enthusiastically urge Tara on, especially in terms of sexual experience. However, Skye is friendly but not particularly empathetic. Em, on the other hand, a clever student at school, is alert to Tara’s feelings and show some sensitivity.

The two boys at the centre of the film share in the boisterousness, Paddy, Samuel Bottomley, seems fairly straightforward. On the other hand, Badger, Shaun Thomas, is multi-tattooed, drives a van, blonde tints in his hair, liking Tara, involving her in some raucous behaviour, but, more sensitive to her.

Parents are merely mentioned, some communication by phone and text, otherwise absent.

The director is quite reticent in dramatising the key sexual encounter at night on a beach. The film quietens down, focuses on Tara, wandering, retiring to her room, rather bewildered, a 16-year-old who thought she might know everything finding that she does not know much at all about herself, sexuality.

Which means that while the “Spring Break” shenanigans continue, the film focuses on Tara, alone, supported by Badger, trying to resist another encounter with Paddy, and everyone packing up to go home, Skye and Em having had the holiday that they were anticipating, but Tara, not knowing how to react, sometimes playing up to the expectations, but still upset in her own inner life.

Will the target audience just respond to the partying or think through Tara’s experience? And how would this film be helpful for parents, teachers, counsellors?

1. The title? Straightforward? Ironically negative?
2. British perspective? Students, girls, boys, the absence of parents except by phone and text?
3. End of academic year ritual, holidays together, resorts, letting go, sense of freedom, drinking, flirting, sex, drugs? Boisterous extroverted activities?
4. The Malia setting, Greece for holidaymakers, the British? The age group, studies and exams, success and failures, further education, decisions about work and life? Letting go for the holiday?
5. The boisterous scenes, the partying, noise, energy, one party after the other?
6. The three girls, their friendship, the focus on Tara? Arrival, wanting the pool-view room, Tara persuading the receptionist? Enjoying the luxury, sunbaking, swimming? The characters, their age, Tara and her uncertainties, not knowing what to do in life, virgin, outlook on sex? Skye, more outgoing, dominating? Em, relationships, friendship with girls, straight A’s in exams, prospects?
7. The behaviour, the encounter with the boys, the activities, the drinking, Paddy, straightforward looking, behaviour? Contrast with Badger, tattoos, hair, van driving? The interactions with the girls? Skye and Em urging Tara?
8. The episode on the beach, Tara and Paddy, going into the water, her uncertainties, expectations, awareness at 16, the sexual encounter, the film not focusing on the detail? The aftermath, her wandering, her staying more by herself, the reaction of her friends?
9. Badger, more sensitivity towards Tara, wanting to walk home, stay with her, listen, attentive?
10. Paddy, not noticing Tara, not appreciating her feelings, the return to the bedroom, Badger seeing them in the bed, his concern?
11. The effect on Tara, what she was wanting, what she was expecting, what actually happened, a lack of experience in dealing with what happened, wanting the time alone, Badger letting her be quiet? The depth of feelings, wanting time to reflect, yet not having the maturity, bursting out, playing up to the gallery at times?
12. The end of the holiday, Em and her success with exams, her sensitivity towards Tara, especially listening, alert, the airport? Skye and her lack of awareness?
13. The target audience, especially girls, identifying with the characters, the situations, the dilemmas, the moral issues, coping and not? Parents, teachers, counsellors?

.