At the Cannes Film Festival, we briefly met Mia McKenna Bruce, the talented protagonist of Molly Manning Walker‘s “How To Have Sex,” who shared her experiences of bringing the character Tara to life. As the film’s central figure, McKenna Bruce played a pivotal role in portraying the complexities of resilience and strength in the aftermath of a bad experience.
Mia McKenna Bruce’s Impactful Performance
From the outset, Mia McKenna Bruce captured the attention of audiences with her portrayal of Tara in “How to Have Sex”. Walker emphasized the importance of not depicting Tara as a helpless victim, and McKenna Bruce infused the character with an effervescent energy. Compassionate and caring when needed, Tara remains loud, and bubbly, even after the assault, unable to define what happened or manage those emotions of pain, disbelief and shame.
“How To Have Sex” is available on MUBI.
Plot
It’s supposed to be the best summer ever. Tara, Skye and Em touch down on the Greek party resort of Malia for the vacation to end all vacations, the girls trip every British teenager ticks off at the cusp of adulthood. Tara, the last remaining virgin, is on a mission to change that: and her best friends are causing chaos right alongside her. The 16-year-old drinks and dances her way through the strip – with all its messy bars and grimy nightclubs – until she meets a couple of boys on the neighboring hotel balcony who she hopes might give her a summer to remember.
Making her debut feature with a vibrant, compassionate look at sex, friendship, consent and the sweet smell of a boozy sunburned summer holiday, director and cinematographer Molly Manning Walker (Scrapper, Good Thanks, You?) paints an exhilarating, moving, and painfully familiar portrait of young adulthood.