In the middle of a hilly, picturesque Northern Yorkshire English town lies an independent boarding school called The Grafton School For Girls.
There are mammoth buildings. Majestic hallways with old, wooden lockers. Wide-brimmed classrooms filled with antique-style world globes residing over creaky timber desks. A Great Communal Dining Hall. A dormitory with strict curfews. Vast rose-filled grounds framing the school campus, brimming with an understated, pastoral, romantic, English country-style aesthetic.
This is the early noughties of Extra Geography – sans iPhones and social media. A time when friendships rely on face-to-face contact. Where literary books are the seeds of knowledge. Or, as in the case of this environment: the golden keys to academic excellence.
Distractions, particularly those of the opposite sex, are deeply discouraged. And loneliness? Is always lurking in the shadows. Guidance from teachers relies on facts and figures. One’s coming-of-age learning curve has to unfold via trial and error.
This is especially true for best friends Flic and Minna, two Year 10 girls who are both feeling the pressure of their scholastic futures. Feeling as if they need some ‘worldlier’ credentials. The reason? To have a better chance at being selected for Oxbridge (either Oxford or Cambridge University).
Flic is a plain-Jane, dark-haired scholarship student. Smart. Sharp-witted. Focused. And ‘already impressive to the school.’ Yet, there is a restlessness inside her to do more to get noticed.
As for Minna, she is a perfectly pretty English rose. Things come easy for her. She coasts through life with a fluffy white pencil case. She’s not as intelligent or as bright as Flic, but has a floaty, dreamy nature. She’s on the cusp of thinking about romance, but not quite there yet either.
But they do share a common mission. To embark on a summer project of an ‘extracurricular’ kind. In order to be seen as more ‘worldly’, they must experience a real-life journey- by encasing themselves in the experience of falling in love. Only, who will their subject be?
Inspired by the famous seduction scene between Puck and Titania in the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream (where, with magic, these characters fall in love with the first person they see), Flic and Minna make a similar closed-eye pact: to fall in love with the next person they see once they open their eyes.
Surprisingly for both, Miss Delavigne, their New Zealand-born Geography teacher, is selected. Brilliantly played by the marvellous Australian actress Alice Englert (and real-life daughter of filmmaker Jane Campion).
Next? They undergo a deep-diving study into the literary world of love and romantic desire.
Racy books from the ages are borrowed and stamped from the library, all under the dubious guise of an envious, steamed-up librarian. Romeo and Juliet. Pride and Prejudice. Even Lady Chatterley’s Lover is in their stack of curious learning. Racy bits are highlighted in private. Even a conversation with the school’s Year 11 harlot, Claire Deakin, will count as their tuition.
And so, Flic and Minna start dolling themselves up for their Geography lesson. Keen to see if they can make unsuspecting Miss Delavigne fall in love with them by getting her attention.
They play-act an obsession with geography and New Zealand. They coax her into giving them ‘extra’ Geography lessons at her private cottage. To top things off? They snip pink roses from a garden memorial and strew its petals on her doorstep, to their excitable, girlish delight. Their assignment has begun.
Minna, seeing boys from the neighbouring school are integrated into the school play, decides that Flic and she should also audition. But jealousy on Flic’s part starts to creep its way in when Minna gets the role of Titiana, Queen Of The Fairies, and Flic is relegated to the role of a Mound.
Their friendship is even more tested when Minna is immersed in learning her lines for the play and enjoying the boys’ attention. Flic feels slighted and so continues on her mission to impress her Geography teacher and win the assignment.
Through the film, a competitive edge ensues. And their priorities and preferences slowly evolve and change too, especially as Minna begins to like boys. Whereas Flic faces a tougher transition: the boys are only using her to get closer to Minna.
Fury, frustration and manipulation ensue. And most unfortunately, what starts out as a curious, unified mission becomes a win-or-lose, neck-and-neck competition. It is the ultimate catalyst for the divergence of their close friendship.
It culminates in a confusing, messy love triangle with their teacher, shattering their idealistic ideas of a forever friendship and united sisterhood.
Adapted from a 2007 short story by Rose Tremain, and into a 2026 feature film written by Miriam Battye, Extra Geography is a sweet coming-of-age story with plenty of witticisms that cover wide themes of boarding school syndrome: co-dependency, jealousy, loneliness and especially infatuation, as seen in the feelings Flic has for her Geography teacher.
The script adaptation by Miriam Battye is funny, acerbic and clever. The direction by BAFTA-winning TV director Molly Manners is gentle, sensitive and dipped in longing. I liked how she let moments linger, particularly when the school and gardens were empty, allowing us to feel a sense of romantic isolation.
The director of photography, Andrew Commis, gives us a breathtaking bird’s-eye view of the boarding school grounds, weathered hallways and on-campus cottages. I also love production designer Melanie Allen’s take on the interiors of Miss Delavigne’s mid-century cottage. It offers insight into her life of solitude, her love for a nostalgic environment and her own need for connection.
Performances from the two young female protagonists are superb. As Minna, Galaxie Clear has the innocent beauty and charm of a budding English Rose. With a twisted twinkle in her eye, she never quite knows where her heart is going to land.
As Flic, Marni Duggan sinks her teeth into her role with sardonic wit and sharp repartee. She reminded me so much of Georgina Groome in the novel, Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, which, in fact, slyly appears amongst the girls’ risqué library book pile!
Extra Geography is a funny saga, perfect for fans of the teenage-girl, coming-of-age movie trope; but with a more introspective twist. It fully immerses its audience in gender-diverse paths, blossoming hormones, boy-crushes and identity.
The Russell Hobbs British Film Festival opens on Wednesday 28 October in Sydney, Melbourne, Ballarat, Byron Bay, Canberra and Adelaide, Thursday 29 October in Brisbane and Thursday 5 November in Perth.
Tickets are on sale now at the website. Enter our competition to win a double pass here.
Tickets for Extra Geography: https://britishfilmfestival.com.au/films/bff26-extra-geography
Website: https://britishfilmfestival.com.au/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/britishfilmfest/
Watch the trailer here:
Film details:
Title: Extra Geography
Director: Molly Manners
Cast: Marni Duggan, Galaxie Clear, Alice Englert, Aoife Riddell
Country of Origin: UK
Duration: 94 mins
Rating: M
The Russell Hobbs British Film Festival presented by Palace screens in the following locations:
Canberra: 28 Oct – 29 Nov Palace Electric Cinemas
Adelaide: 28 Oct – 29 Nov, Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas, Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas
Melbourne: 28 Oct – 29 Nov, The Astor Theatre, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Palace Penny Lane, The Kino, Pentridge Cinema, Palace Church St
Ballarat: 28 Oct – 29 Nov, Palace Regent Ballarat
Sydney: 28 Oct – 29 Nov, Palace Norton Street, Palace Moore Park, Palace Central
Byron Bay: 28 Oct – 29 Nov, Palace Byron Bay, Ballina Fair Cinemas
Brisbane: 29 Oct – 29 Nov, Palace Barracks, Palace James Street
Perth: 5 Nov – 6 Dec, Palace Raine Square, Luna on SX, Leederville and Windsor
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