Molly Manning Walker’s How To Have Sex triumphs at Cannes

British filmmaker Molly Manning Walker’s debut feature, How To Have Sex, has won the top prize in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard selection.

It’s the latest in a string of accolades for NFTS graduate Manning Walker, whose work as a cinematographer has been recognised by the Student Academy Awards and Camerimage. DP Nicolas Canniccioni shot her directorial debut, which follows three British teenagers on their first girls’ trip abroad.

Un Certain Regard focuses on ‘arthouse, artistically daring films’ and this year there were 20 feature films included in the selection. The jury was chaired by American actor John C. Reilly and included director and screenwriter Alice Winocour, actress Paula Beer, director and producer Davy Chou, and actress Émilie Dequenne.

Speaking to British Cinematographer after her win, Manning Walker said: “Something like this – Such a crazy moment. We finished the film on the Friday before Cannes, so we really didn’t know how it would be received. The whole experience has been a crazy beautiful blur. I’m now really looking forward to getting it out in the world.”

Augure (Omen), directed by Baloji, won the New Voice Prize, while Crowrã (The Buriti Flower), directed by João Salaviza & Renée Nader Messora, was awarded the Ensemble Prize. Mohamed Kordofani’s Goodbye Julia won the Freedom Prize and the Directing Prize was won by Asmae El Moudir for their work on Kadib Abyad (The Mother of All Lies). The Jury’s Prize went to Les Meutes (Hounds), directed by Kamal Lazraq.