Film Critic: Layla at Sizona

19th November 2024

It is always a pleasure to see an Amazing Space Studios location used in a feature film, so we were very excited to see Sizona Location in the newly released Layla, which has just hit UK cinemas. Amrou Al-Kadhi's feature film directorial debut follows the titular character, a non-binary British-Palestinian drag queen, and their new relationship with a young advertising executive called Max.

In stark contrast to Layla's colourful and messy shared apartment, Max's bachelor pad is a refined, minimalist nest of neatness. With its concrete floors, exposed brickwork, stylish furnishings, and high ceilings, the apartment studio of Sizona compliments Max's character perfectly. Scenes in Layla that take place at Sizona include the cool kitchen area, main sitting room, and large bedroom.

Layla is a film about identity, freedom, and self-love. The titular character, who is played by Bilal Hasna and is frequently captured via broken shots in mirrors, navigates their new relationship with Max alongside older issues involving their family, which centre around their sexuality and gender. The locations of Layla, which range from their own apartment, a large drag club, and rooftops with London skylines, are vital to the story, and Sizona plays a dramatically important part in crafting Max's personality and background.

Filming at Sizona took place in November 2022 before it wrapped the following month. In January 2024, Layla premiered at the Sundance Film Festival prior to its wide release in cinemas in November of that year.

Sizona is no stranger to exciting shoots such as this; it was a key location in the first season of the award-winning series Killing Eve. This fantastic location in Islington worked like a dream to help bring Layla's characters and stories to life, and it could be just as effective for your next shoot, whether it be smaller photography or large filming. You can contact them directly via their Amazing Space Studios listing here.