The Letter Writer

Set in 1965, in the British protectorate trucial state of Dubai, the letter writer tells the story of a young precocious Arab nationalist boy, who works summers as a professional letter writer, transcribing letters into classical Arabic for local illiterates. One day he is approached by an Indian man who wants to start a correspondence with an English woman he is in love with. The man shows the boy the photograph of the woman, and the boy becomes instantly besotted. He sets about learning English so he can write the letters on behalf of his new customer, which leads him on an adventure of love, loss and awakening.

  • Layla Kaylif
    Director
  • Layla Kaylif
    Writer
  • Chris Buschek
    Producer
    Star Trek Beyond
  • Layla Kaylif
    Producer
  • Eslam Al Kawarit
    Key Cast
    "Khalifa"
  • Amir Gull Shair
    Key Cast
    "Mr Mohamed"
  • Rosy McEwen
    Key Cast
    "Elli"
    2010, Television, Miranda Reese, WAKING THE DEAD, BBC One, Marc Jobst 2007, Television, Lizzie Hutton, CRANFORD, BBC One, Simon Curtis/Steve Hudson
  • Abd Al Hadi Abdullah
    Key Cast
    "Khalifa's Father"
  • Mousa Ahmed
    Key Cast
    "Ahmed"
  • Layla Kaylif
    Key Cast
    "Khalifa's Mother"
  • Arturo Vasquez
    Director of Photography
    Camelot
  • Amina Dasmal
    Executive Producer
    The Double
  • Eyas Salman
    Editor
    Omar
  • Martin Sullivan
    Production Designer
    Furious 7
  • Farhad Katrahmani
    Sound
    Fate:The Winx Saga
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 34 minutes 16 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 28, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    1,000,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Arab Emirates
  • Language:
    Arabic, English, Hindi, Persian
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Lebanese Independent Film Festival
    Beirut
    Lebanon
    September 21, 2019
    Best Foreign Feature Fiction
Director Biography - Layla Kaylif

Layla Kaylif is a singer songwriter and filmmaker of English/Arab descent. She read Arabic at Oxford University. It was while there, she developed an interest in music. She signed a recording deal with Edel Records, which produced the worldwide hit “Shakespeare in Love”.
In 2015 Layla won the IWC filmmakers award at DIFF, for her original screenplay “The Letter Writer”, and in 2018 she produced, directed and co-starred in the feature film based on her screenplay.
In 2019, Layla returned to music, recording her first album in 12 years, “Lovers Don’t Meet”, and produced by Nashville native Jason Hall (David Nail and the Well Ravens). Released in 2020, Folking magazine called it: “Less a comeback; more of a glorious rebirth”.
"The Letter Writer" was part of the Official Selection for Best Foreign Feature Fiction at the Lebanese Independent Film Festival.
In 2020 her film was chosen as part of Film London's Breakthrough Strand for emerging British filmmakers.

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Director Statement

"I can't imagine there's a better time than now for my film to be released, its penultimate message being we don't need (another) leader; what we need is love."

I'm thrilled to have the talented Rosy McEwen as my leading lady.