CONTENT ADVISORY
Nudity, coarse language; depictions of sex
U.K.202499 minEnglish, ArabicToronto Premiere2slgbtq+, Drama, First Feature, LGBTQ+ Filmmakers, Romance
Layla is a struggling Palestinian drag queen who often finds creative ways to make ends meet, surrounded by a small, supportive group of close friends within the North London queer scene. A stuffy corporate event performance goes terribly wrong, making Layla and their outrageous antics go viral, and they meet the seemingly-dull-in-comparison marketing executive Max. Despite their very different worlds, a transformative love affair ensues, much to the annoyance of their close friends, who are highly skeptical of how healthy or affirming this relationship could possibly be.
Amrou Al-Kadhi’s assured direction shines just as brightly as Bilal Hasna’s breakout performance in this fun, flashy, and tender directorial debut packed with the catchiest club hits and an abundance of sparkles. As a complicated and lovable Layla navigates familial expectations, close friendships, and their own identity, what emerges is a proud queer love story that at its core celebrates self-love, freedom, and community.
– Mariam Zaidi
Bilal Hasna
Louis Greatorex
Safiyya Ingar
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Sundance, 2024
BFI London, 2024
Vancouver Queer, 2024
Amrou Al-Kadhi
Amrou Al-Kadhi is a writer, performer, and filmmaker. Al-Kadhi has written episodes for Little America (Apple TV), The Watch (BBC America), Hollyoaks (Channel 4), and has several TV shows and feature films in development. Al-Kadhi’s drag show, GLAMROU, recently had a sell-out run at the Soho Theatre. It received rave reviews and will continue to tour next year.
15 Nov, 2024 8:00 pm
TIFF Lightbox C3AA
CONTENT ADVISORY
Nudity, coarse language; depictions of sex
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This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated). Wheelchair spaces and step-free seating is available for this screening – click below to book accessible seats.
This programme invites audiences into a storytelling dialogue between imagineNATIVE and Reel Asian on the solidarity between Indigenous and settler Asian people. Tenacious and confrontational, this collection transports resilience from the past and into the present.
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Creatura is a multimedia stream of programming that draws inspiration from the strange, wild, and untamed: descriptions historically used to label, discipline and exclude people. Whether it be for unrecognizable ways of being, or unacceptable actions and behaviours, to be a creature is to exist at the edge of what it means to be human. Creatura programming aims to engage with all variations of this label across the spectrum, from the mystical and uncanny to the unruly and abhuman.
Founded in Toronto in 1997, Reel Asian is Canada’s largest pan-Asian film festival and a year-round cultural organization dedicated to championing Asian and Asian diasporic artists and storytellers. What began as a grassroots film festival has grown into a national platform supporting filmmakers and audiences through screenings, education, industry initiatives, artist development, and community programming presented across Toronto, the GTA, and online across Canada.
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