July 10, 2007
Jay Jonroy is the writer, director, and producer of
a new film, David & Layla, which draws upon the
theme of Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet in
which young people defy the opposition of their
families and marry. But it takes place in
present-day Brooklyn and is a comedy rather than a
tragedy. Based on a true story, the film is the tale
of a stereotypical Jewish New Yorker named David and
a Kurdish Muslim refugee, Layla, who, despite ethnic
and religious differences and the objections of
their families, pursue love and understanding.
Through the medium of romantic comedy, the film
brings up issues such as the serious problems faced
by Kurds and other minority groups in the Middle
East, as well as the tensions between Jews and
Muslims.
The Kurds are the largest nationality in the world
without a state to call their own. Many live in
Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Armenia. The
film David & Layla touches upon the cruelty that
Kurds have suffered at the hand of Saddam Hussein
and members of the Ba’ath Party. Speaking with host
Judith Latham of VOA News Now’s Press Conference
USA, director Jay Jonroy, a Kurdish refugee from
Iraq like his character Layla, describes what his
own family has suffered. His younger brother and
brother-in-law were both kidnapped and their remains
were later found in mass graves. Many of his
relatives are refugees in other countries. Mr.
Jonroy says that, despite these hardships, “there
was always love and comedy.” And he felt that,
“instead of making a heavy drama film, perhaps the
world needed a love story that was also a romantic
comedy.”
Making a film that examines the suffering of the
Kurds was not only personally meaningful for Jay
Jonroy, but he wanted people to understand the
historical context. As he says, “Everybody knows
about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, but 9,000
[Kurdish] villages were destroyed between Turkey and
Iraq – and the world is not much aware of it.” Shiva
Rose, the actress who plays Layla, agrees that the
plight of the Kurds is “a good thing for people to
become aware of” because more attention has been
focused on other groups, even though the Kurds
number between 30 and 40 million people.
Another important element of the film is its raising
of subjects that are usually considered “taboo,”
such as drinking wine, which is forbidden to
Muslims. Filmmaker Jay Jonroy says that, because of
his portrayal of Layla as very modern and
independent young woman who departs from some of the
values of her very conservative aunt and uncle, many
traditionalists do not want the film to be shown in
Islamic or Arab countries. But Mr. Jonroy says he
hopes that “on satellite TV, it will have a life.”
He suggests that the way women are treated in much
of the Muslim world is “unfair and backward.” And he
poses the question: How can a society progress when
half of its members are unable to express
themselves?
Beneath the politics, Jay Jonroy says his David &
Layla is a variation on an age-old story “in another
epoch, in another country.” He says the film carries
a message of “tolerance for each other and our
differences,” and he believes that “from this
impossible, unlikely romance there can be hope for
love and peace.” In fact, in the film David and
Layla’s families do come to an appreciation of each
other’s traditions and culture. Mr. Jonroy says he
would like the film to be a “ray of light” that
signals it is “possible for those in the Middle East
to forgive each other and learn to live together.” |
The film is based on a true story of love between
Jewish New Yorker David and Kurdish Muslim refugee
Layla
Jay Jonroy is writer, director, and producer of the
film David & Layla. He is member of 'Writers Guild
of America' and a former student of 'UCLA School of
Film and Television'
Actress Shiva Rose has won the Best Breakthrough
Performance Award for her performance in Jay
Jonroy's David & Layla at the Fort Lauderdale
International Film Festival |
® 