Layla (film)

Layla
Layla
	Cast and crew at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival
Directed by	Amrou Al-Kadhi
Written by	Amrou Al-Kadhi
Produced by	Savannah James-Bayly
Cinematography	Craig Dean Devine
Edited by	Fiona Brands
Music by	CJ Mirra; Ariyan Mehedi;
Production; companies	BFI; Film4; Fox Cub Films; Significant Productions;
Release date	18 January 2024 (Sundance);
Running time	99 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Layla is a 2024 British romance film written and directed by Amrou Al-Kadhi in their feature directorial debut.

Premise

While navigating their identity around friends and family, Layla, a non-binary British-Palestinian drag queen living in London, falls in love with Max, an advertising executive.

Cast

Bilal Hasna as Layla
Louis Greatorex as Max
Safiyya Ingar as Princy
Terique Jarrett as Felix
Darkwah as Lucilla
Sarah Agha as Fatima
Baby
Rebecca Lucy Taylor as Emily
Buket Kömür as Sara
Emma McDonald as Areej
Ghazi Al Ruffai as Travis

Production

Savannah James-Bayly produced the film for Fox Cub Films. Executive producers include Farhana Bhula of Film4, Kristin Irving of BFI, Mary Burke of Public Dreams, and Nina Yang Bongiovi and Forest Whitaker of Significant Productions. Principal photography took place in East London over six weeks and wrapped in December 2022.^[2]^[3]

Release

Film4 holds the UK and Ireland TV distribution rights. A first look image was shared in December 2022.^[4] Layla was selected by the BFI and British Council for the Great8 showcase at the 2023 Cannes Marché.^[5]

The film premiered in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.^[6]