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John Cameron Mitchell on His New Film 'How to Talk to Girls at Parties'

The director's sci-fi odyssey follows a group of teenage punks who accidentally run into a roving band of aliens in 1970s England.

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.

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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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