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English Titles L

Layla M.

Original title: Layla M.
German title: Layla M.
Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, 2016

Director: Jong, Mijke de
Production company: Topkapi Films, Menuet, Chromosom Film
Co-producers: Schiwago Film, The Imaginarian Films and NTR
Age recommendation: 14 years and up
Length: 98 min.
Film genre: Feature film

Synopsis:
Layla is an 18-year old girl, born and raised in Amsterdam. Layla is smart, witty and stubborn – and of Moroccan background. In the times of constant terrorist threat, she struggles with the increasing suspicion towards girls with headscarves and boys with beards that she witnesses every day. While her frustration grows, her faith intensifies. She joins a group of radical Muslims who fight for their practise of Islam. Layla posts films online depicting the horrors in Syria and Gaza and makes political flyers. And she flirts with the charismatic Abdel.
When her peaceful brother and she are arrested by the police, Layla, feeling hurt and isolated in her anger, is left with only one option: to leave home. She chooses marriage, with Abdel. After their wedding, Layla and Abdel roam the country together, perform ‘missionary work', and raise money for the good cause. But then they get involved in a shootout between a group of young jihadists and the Belgian police, they have to flee, to the Middle East. Layla encounters a world that nurtures her ideas initially, but finally confronts her with an impossible choice.

Marketing strategies:
Worldwide Rights have been sold to Netflix.

Festivals:
Toronto IFF 2016, Chicago IFF 2017, BFI IFF London 2017, Golden Calf Awards 2017: 4 nominations, 2 awards, Black Nights Tallinn IFF 2017, Golden Sparrow Gera/Erfurt 2018

Study guide: www.visionkino.de/filmtipps/filmtipp ...

World sales address/es:
Beta Film (DE)

Sold to:
Missing Films (DE)