Layla Departs Her Soul

Country: Turkey

Runtime: 103 min

Synopsis 

“ Laila Departs Her Soul “ Written and directed by Saer Mussa Laila, an 18-year-old Syrian woman, lives with her mother in a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan. Ahmad, Laila’s brother, was arrested in Syria by the regime. Laila marries a man 30 years older than her, so that her dowry can be used to pay for Ahmad’s freedom; she goes to live with her husband in a far-off village.

Three years later, Ahmad is released and flees across the border to join his mother in the refugee camp. There, he learns that his sister is dead. He decides to go to the husband’s village to investigate how his sister died.

In the village, the husband relates a unique “human” tale of Laila’s short life, a young woman who decided to remain totally silent, without saying a word. She died without her husband ever having heard her voice.

It is an amazing tale of how Laila becomes transformed into a spiritual symbol for the village residents. Her painful life causes her soul to rise in stature, through her relationship with people. She gradually changes, unwillingly, into a blessed being, invested with a spiritual dimension that combines the mythical with the real, told in a tale whose texture is magical.

Director: Saer Mussa

Syrian film Director born in Aleppo, Syria. Studied Film and TV Directing at the Higher Academy of Film and TV in Lodz, Poland.

After graduation, worked in Syria at Syrian Television and made  documentary film on the Syrian director “Fawwaz Al Sajer”. Returned to Poland and made a film on the refugees trying to Pass through Poland to Sweden “on the way to Heaven”.

Worked in Italy for Orbit satellite television for four years. Then, returned to Syria and directed a number of documentaries.

Wrote and directed a short fiction film titled “The Wings’ Journey”; Directed Three Syrian drama; “Lawrence of Arabia”, “The Runaway” “Al mauwoodah” Directed two Iraqi drama series; “The deserted Home”, “Memories of a Country”.

Producer: Fayçal Hassaïri

Fayçal Hassaïri is a Laureate from The Polish High Film & TV School in Lodz (PL 1986-1991) and The High school of Dramatic Arts of Tunis (TN 1981-1986) A senior professional Film and Television executive, with experience in both editorial and production management across a wide range of genres.

The most known film productions: “Jenin…Jenin” Documentary 2002 by Mohammad Bakri (Producer) “Aïsheen Still alive in Gaza” Documentary 2009 by Nicolas Wadimoff (Producer) “Hawra Bagdad” 2010 Documentary by Rashid Masharawi (Producer) “A Son” 2019 Narrative by Mehdi Barsawi (Coproducer) “200 meters” Narrative 2020 by Ameen Nayfeh (Coproducer) “The Man Who Sold His Skin” Narrative 2020 by Kaouther Ben Hania (Coproducer) “The Stranger” Narrative 2021 by Amir Fakher-Eddine (in Post-Production) “The Maidan’s Pond” Narrative 2021 by Bassim Breich (in Post-Production) “Layla Departs Her Soul” Narrative 2021 by Saer Mussa (in Post-Production) “A House in Jerusalem” Narrative 2021 by Muayad Alywan (in preproduction) “Med Fever” Narrative 2021 by Maha Haj (in preproduction) “Floating in A Vacuum” Narrative 2021-2022 by Mohamed Ben Attia (in reproduction)