Layla by Amrou Al-Kadhi to premiere in California at the 28th Arab Film Festival

We are proud to announce that Layla – a film by Amrou Al-Kadhi – will have its California premiere at the Arab Film Festival 2024. Layla will screen on Oct. 26th at the AMC Kabuki 8 in San Francisco.

Layla is 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 off their 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.

Layla is part of our Queer Lens program, which also includes a curated selection of short films. You can learn more about it here.

Browse the full festival’s schedule, check out a brand new edition of Queer Lens, and consider buying a festival pass.

Layla
Written & Directed by AMROU AL-KADHI

CALIFORNIA PREMIERE

Starring BILAL HASNA, LOUIS GREATOREX, SAFIYYA INGAR, DARKWAH, TERIQUE JARRETT, SARAH AGHA
Run Time: 99
Year: 2024

Country: United Kingdom
Language: English, Arabic

Behind the scenes – making Layla

“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.” – Amrou Al-Kadhi (Director)

“It is a rare privilege to be able to tell the story of a non-binary muslim drag performer from someone with that lived experience, and it is because of that experience that Amrou can approach the subject and characters with such complexity of feeling – humour, irreverence, heart, hurt. Rather than pitting Layla against an external antagonist who represents the homophobia, femmephobia and islamophobia they experience, Layla is their own antagonist, internalising those prejudices so that they’re in constant battle with themself. It’s Amrou’s ability to swing the audience on an emotional pendulum that has made their drag shows so popular too – showing the empowerment that comes from drag, whilst also allowing the viewer into the pain it can often mask.” – Savannah James-Bayly (Producer)

The film drew much support from London’s queer community – with many notable performers from London’s drag scene turning out to help create the vibrant world of “Feathers.”

The film also features cameo roles from queer icons Self Esteem (Rebecca Lucy Taylor), who also provided her song “Prioritise Pleasure” for the closing credits, and Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK star Baby. Another cameo in the opening scene comes in the form of drag performer and singer, Tom Rasmussen, who came up with Amrou through their drag troupe, Denim, and also lends their song “Dysphoria” to one of the films most heart-wrenching scenes. Keeping it in the family you can also hear a track by Darkwah play in the first scene at Feathers nightclub.

About the Director, Amrou Al-Kadhi

Amrou Al-Kadhi is a screenwriter, director, drag queen, actor and author. Their four short films, all centring queer people of colour, have been broadcast on PBS, NOWNESS, BBC 4, BBC iPlayer, Revry and BFI-Player and have played at BAFTA & Oscar-qualifying festivals internationally.

As a screenwriter, Amrou co-wrote the final episode of Apple’s LITTLE AMERICA, which The Hollywood Reporter called ‘the show’s pinnacle,’ and named as one of the best 10 episodes of television in 2020; this episode has also won a Glaad award, with the series nominated for Best New Scripted Series at the Independent Spirit awards, and Best International series at the BAFTAs. Amrou was also a writer on BBC America’s series, THE WATCH, and has sold pilot scripts to FX Productions, ABC and BBC Drama.

In 2019, Al-Kadhi published their memoir “Unicorn”, which won the Polari First Book Prize and the Somerset Maugham award, and is being adapted by Amrou with Universal Studios in the United States and The Forge Entertainment producing in the UK. They have contributed regularly for publications including The Guardian, The Independent, and Attitude Magazine.

Layla will screen on Oct. 26th at the AMC Kabuki 8 in San Francisco.

For more information about the 28th Arab Film Festival, visit arabfilmfestival.org

A special thank you to our Community Partners:

Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project (QWOCMAP).

GLAAD