Layla main backdrop
Layla main poster

6.0/10 • 3

2024-11-221h 40m

DramaComedyRomance

When Layla, a struggling Arab drag queen, falls in love for the first time, they lose and find themself in a transformative relationship that tests who they really are.

Directors
Amrou Al-Kadhi
Writters
Amrou Al-Kadhi
Editors
Fiona Brands

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Bilal Hasna

    Bilal Hasna

    Layla

  2. Louis Greatorex

    Louis Greatorex

    Max

  3. Safiyya Ingar

    Safiyya Ingar

    Princy

  4. Terique Jarrett

    Terique Jarrett

    Felix

  5. Darkwah

    Darkwah

    Lucilla

  6. Sarah Agha

    Sarah Agha

    Fatima

  7. Self Esteem

    Self Esteem

    Emily

  8. Emma McDonald

    Emma McDonald

    Areej

  9. Ghazi Al Ruffai

    Ghazi Al Ruffai

    Travis

Reviews1

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CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Jan 14, 2025

7/10

When "Layla" (Bilal Hasna) dons the full drag regalia to perform at a corporate launch for some ready meal company and they pay her in vouchers, she isn't best pleased and so makes a speech annoying just about everyone in the room except the guy from the marketing company. He's "Max" (Louis Greatorex) and it's quite clear that there's a little chemistry between the two after a brief conversation on a stairwell. It's not long before they've hooked up and what's clear is that both are attracted to the other, but that both have their identification issues that might prove difficult for the other to reconcile. The question for each of them is the extent to which they can love each other and still be who they are, want or need to be. Now perhaps it's the old romantic in me, but I hated the ending. That may be, though, because it is truthful and didn't take any easy routes out of what is quite an interesting story of human nurture, nature and personality. The former man is from Surrey, but has Arab roots whilst "Max" is as white as chalk and way more conforming to the more standard British norms of dress and family. Both are openly gay so that's not the issue, it's much more about breaking free from those linear and societal boundaries and being true to themselves. If I'm honest, I didn't much care for the drag friends. They seemed determined that "Max" was always going to be an interloper, and most of us know that embryonic relationships - platonic or sexual - can often thrive or fail depending on the reaction existing friends provide. There's quite a bit of selfishness around here and that annoyed me a little. Both performances are honest, playful and at times quite visceral and though comparisons are bound to be made with "Femme" and/or "Unicorns" from last year, this has quite an unique take on issues that are specific to those two characters here, but needn't be looked at in isolation.

Media

  • Layla poster
  • Layla poster
  • Layla poster
  • Layla poster
  • Layla poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
london, englanddrag queencoming of agelgbtnon-binarypalestinianarab lgbtmuslim lgbt