I CAN'T THINK STRAIGHT
by Shamim Sarif
synopsis
In the upper echelons of traditional Middle Eastern society, Reema and Omar prepare for the marriage of their daughter Tala. But back at work in London, Tala encounters Leyla, a young British Indian woman who is dating Tala's best friend Ali. Tala sees something unique in the artless, clumsy, sensitive Leyla who secretly works to become a writer. And Tala's forthright challenges to Leyla's beliefs begins a journey of self-awareness for Leyla. As the women fall in love, Tala's own sense of duty and cultural restraint cause her to pull away from Leyla and fly back to Jordan where the preparations for an ostentatious wedding are well under way. As family members descend and the wedding day approaches, the pressure mounts until Tala finally cracks and extricates herself. Back in London, Leyla is heartbroken but learns to break free of her own self-doubt and her mother's expectations, ditching Ali and being honest with her parents about her sexuality.
original title: | I Can't Think Straight |
country: | United Kingdom |
year: | 2007 |
genre: | fiction |
directed by: | Shamim Sarif |
release date: | UK 03/04/2009, DE 16/04/2009 |
screenplay: | Shamim Sarif, Kelly Moss |
cast: | Lisa Ray, Sheetal Sheth, Antonia Frering, Dalip Tahil, Nina Wadia, Ernest Ignatius, Siddiqua Akhtar |
cinematography by: | Aseem Bajaj |
film editing: | David Martin |
art director: | Katie Carter |
costumes designer: | Charlie Knight |
music: | Raiomond Mirza |
producer: | Hanan Kattan |
production: | Enlightenment Productions |
distributor: | Enlightenment Films, Pro-Fun (DE) |