Produced by Elizabeth Howatt-Jackman and directed by Geoff Bennett, the film stars Saskia Burmeister as Erica "Yuk" Yurken, an adolescent brunette who fantasises about a better life and acting stardom; and Delta Goodrem as her intelligent, school rival Alison Ashley.

She is an arrogant girl who believes herself superior to everyone in Barringa East, a council town that is dilapidated and mostly vandalised.

With dreams of becoming a famous theatrical actress, Erica often creates highly exaggerated stories about herself to impress her classmates and is a hypochondriac, constantly visiting the school sickbay for made-up ailments.

She outshines her classmates by putting effort in her projects, and just as her ego begins to bloom, a section of one of the upper-class estates surrounding Barringa East is reclassified as part of their suburb, and due to the zoning system a new student, Alison Ashley, is placed in Erica's class.

Alison Ashley is a beautiful, rich, neat and intelligent girl, traits that Erica instantly grows envious of.

On many occasions, Alison appears to want to instigate a friendship, though Erica stubbornly turns her away out of spite and envy.