Amrou Al-Kadhi talks ‘Layla’

Layla, the first feature from filmmaker and Attitude columnist Amrou Al-Kadhi follows Layla, a struggling Arab drag queen, whose confident façade hides their desperate desire for love. When their performance at a belittling corporate Pride event turns into a transgressive takedown,they are surprised to catch the eye of marketing executive Max, whose attentions sweep Layla offtheir feet. The two start an intoxicating romance, but as Layla starts to alter who they are in order
to keep Max’s interest, they both have to face uncomfortable truths.

Aesthetically, the film is a utopic queer fairy tale of a vibrant world that exists outside the malignant graying of London’s once electric urbanity. On making Layla, Al-Kadhi says “I made LAYLA
because I want the world to have an unapologetically joyous queer fairytale. Trauma is so much at
the centre of our stories on screen – and our reactionary political climate is contributing to a
violent dehumanisation of queer lives. In the current cultural landscape, it feels like a radical act to
tell a story that celebrates the queer experience with unbridled joy and optimism. The message we
hope to convey is one of celebration, resilience, and the power of authenticity in the face of
adversity. I want audiences to come away feeling enthralled by the vivacity of queer London, queer
people of colour, and the tenacity of queer creativity.”

On casting Bilal as the titular character, “Bilal truly blew us away during auditions”
Amrou enthuses. “I have to admit he came as a bit of a surprise – because I had preconceived
notions about the character from the screenwriting process – but Bilal’s auditions challenged and
changed my understanding of Layla, bringing a depth and nuance that enhanced what was on the
page. And that’s one of the exciting aspects of casting – when you allow yourself to be open to
different interpretations, it can genuinely benefit the film, and that’s something I learned with
guidance from Shaheen.”

Layla stars Bilal Hasna, Louis Greatorex, Safiyya Ingar, Terique Jarrett, Darkwah and Sarah Agha. Book your preview screening of Layla at the BFI here.

WRITTEN BY:

Nura Arooj

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