Coming from a performance art background, Leyla is particularly interested in unusual bodies, in unusual spaces, doing unusual things. She likes deciding the texture and title of the film before anything else. She believes that the most interesting parts of the story is usually found in-between what is said. She believes that film making is about insisting the audience get closer, to look again, to question everything they thought they knew. Leyla prides herself in taking risks in her films and approaching narratives with a fresh perspective. She's loves to make films that evoke intense feelings, with indulgent textures and bold aesthetic choices. She hopes all her work challenges the viewers and leaves them to questioning what it means to be human. She is an award-winning poet. theatre maker and creative facilitator alongside her film work. Leyla was named one of Screen International Rising Stars 2022.