MUBI, the renowned global film distributor, streaming service, and production company, has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Molly Manning Walker‘s critically acclaimed debut feature film, How to Have Sex, and the Schools Consent Project. This collaboration aims to bring important conversations about consent to students in schools throughout the UK and will include screenings of the film followed by lawyer-led workshops, providing a platform for students to engage in discussions surrounding consent.
Founded by criminal barrister Kate Parker, the Schools Consent Project is a charity that provides workshops run by legally qualified volunteers, geared towards providing young people with the tools to fully understand laws around sex and consent to help them make informed and sensible decisions.
Commenting on the partnership, Parker said, “The Schools Consent Project is delighted to be the charitable partner of Molly Manning Walker’s groundbreaking film, How to Have Sex. We are excited to be able to offer our network of 100+ schools the opportunity to watch How to Have Sex, followed by a lawyer-led workshop on consent. Our joint goal is to normalise conversations about consent so that the next generation moves through the world experiencing better, safer interactions and I’m excited to see the real-world impact this partnership will have on the attitudes and behaviour of young people.”
Manning Walker added, “It’s really a dream come true to be getting our film into schools. Watching it be used as a learning tool for consent has been the most emotional part of the journey for me. As we’ve taken the film around the world we’ve established that most women have had an experience like Tara. Now we get the opportunity to help teenagers navigate sexual experiences differently. I wish I had it when I was a teenager.”
Debuting in U.K. cinemas in November 2023, “How to Have Sex,” offers a powerfully candid portrayal of the agonies, ecstasies and ride-or-die glory of young female friendship. Capturing the highs and lows of being a teenager, Walker’s debut stars Mia McKenna-Bruce, Shaun Thomas, Lara Peake, Samuel Bottomley, Enva Lewis and Laura Ambler. The film follows three happy-go-lucky teenage British girls on a rites-of-passage holiday, drinking, partying and hooking up in what is supposed to be the best summer of their lives. But as they dance the night away on the sun-drenched streets of Malia, they find themselves wrestling with the complexities of sex, consent and self-discovery.
Discussing the film and its themes, Parker also added, “The moment I first watched the film, I was struck by the obvious synergies with the charity’s work. The film situates consent and sexual violence in relatable, everyday contexts that appeal to our students. Its scrutiny of things like body language, facial expression, tone, silence, excuses, peer pressure, alcohol etc are exactly the sort of things we discuss in our consent workshops. How To Have Sex helps us lift the lid on a topic that might otherwise be alienating or awkward. It enables us to have an open, honest conversation around consent and sexual violence, and it helps us give young people a language and confidence to articulate themselves.”
Since first premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, How to Have Sex has received critical acclaim across the board and taken home numerous awards, including the top prize in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes, the Philip French Award for Breakthrough British/Irish Filmmaker at the London Film Critics Circle and the European Discovery – Prix FIPRESCI at the European Film Awards. The film is also BAFTA-nominated for Outstanding British Film, Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer (Molly Manning Walker) and Casting for Isabella Odoffin, who also picked up the Best Casting award at the British Independent Film Awards. Mia McKenna-Bruce, who won the Best Lead Performance at the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) and Breakthrough Performer of The Year (London Film Critics Circle) is also now nominated for the EE Rising Star Award, the only award voted for by members of the public. The EE BAFTA Film Awards will be held on Sunday 18 February.
HOW TO HAVE SEX is available to rent and buy on Digital Platforms, Blu-ray, DVD and and is streaming on MUBI in the UK and Ireland.
