Activities:

Focusing on views and experiences of young people in the film provides a safety net for students and teachers when discussing sensitive issues. Teachers should familiarise themselves with relevant guidelines and policy in relation to content.

Before viewing

In 'Breaking Up' it was hinted that Clara might be gay. Ask students to:

1. Track how growing unhappiness with the heterosexual role she's been playing affects her behaviour. (See outline)
2. Look out for situations where Clara's feeling one thing, and her body language appears to be saying something completely different.

After viewing

What are the obstacles Clara has to overcome in relation to:

1. herself
2. her family
3. her female friends
4. male friends
5. boys generally.

What is significant about:

1. Jess's off-hand remark about becoming a lesbian?
2. Clara not being able to go into the lesbian café at first?
3. Clara's reaction to seeing Lilly talk to Darren?
4. Dennis pretending they're in a relationship?
5. Jenny not being able to accept she's lesbian?
6. Lilly's request to borrow conditioner?
7. Lilly putting up with Clara's behaviour initially?
8. Clara's reaction to singing a love duet?

Key questions
Is there anywhere else Clara could have gone to get help, support, or to talk? In the film, boys and girls communicate differently among themselves about each other. In what ways? What lies at the root of it? How do the class feel about it? Is it realistic? Are there gender differences? How would they like to be spoken about?