Dutch feature film Layla M. by director Mijke de Jong has been chosen as the official entry from The Netherlands for the Academy Award in the Best Foreign Language Film category.
Layla M. is the ninth feature film by Mijke de Jong. The screenplay is written by Jan Eilander in collaboration with Mijke de Jong. Previous films by Mijke de Jong are amongst others: Frailer (2014), Joy (2010), Katia’s Sister (2008) and Bluebird (2004).
In Layla M., a Dutch girl (18) with Moroccan roots, joins a group of radical Muslims. She encounters a world that nurtures her ideas initially, but finally confronts her with an impossible choice.
Layla M. world premiered in the Platform competition of the Toronto international Film Festival 2016, after which it screened at numerous film festivals worldwide, including Chicago, AFI Fest Los Angeles, BFI London, Marrakech, Goa, Gothenburg, Jeonju IFF, Dubai and Tallin Black Nights. In The Netherlands the film is nominated for no less than four Golden Calves, among which for Best Film and Best Script at the upcoming Netherlands Film Festival.
The film is produced by Topkapi Films, in co-production with NTR, Menuet (Belgium), Chromosom (Germany) and Schiwago Film (Germany). Sales is handled by Beta Cinema.
Layla M. is supported by the Netherlands Film Fund, the Netherlands Film Production Incentive, CoBO, Eurimages, the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), Screen Flanders, the Belgian Federal Government’s tax shelter programme, Casa Kafka Pictures Movie Tax Shelter empowered by Belfius, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg GmbH, FFA German Federal Film Board, The Imaginarium Films, The Royal Film Commission Jordan and the creative Europe Programme of the European Union.
Beta Cinema has sold the International Rights to Netflix worldwide.
The nominations in all categories for the Academy Awards will be announced on January 23, 2018. The 90the Oscars ceremony takes place March 4, 2018.