John Cameron Mitchell’s latest film, How to Talk to Girls at Parties, follows a teenaged suburbanite named Enn (Alex Sharp) and his friends as they explore the punk scene of 1970s London. One night, they stumble into a bizarre after-hours party filled with strange people—who are actually from another planet. Part sci-fi odyssey, part coming-of-age tale, the film chronicles Enn as he falls in love with an alien girl (Elle Fanning), and the two thrash through Britain’s gritty punk underbelly.

On this episode of VICE Talks Film, we talk with Mitchell about punk’s history, what it was like to teach a young cast about the scene’s roots, and how young love can feel foreign and otherworldly.

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