Inspired by a true love story

  Az der pots shtyet, der seykhl geyt in dr’erd!’
  [When the cock rises, the brains fly away!]  - Yiddish proverb.

  Reviews at Script Reviews; List of characters at Casting David & Layla.

  Production team at David & Layla Production.

Tagline: Love conquers all!

Logline:  In New York, David, a Jewish American TV host of “Sex and Happiness”, falls in lust with  sensual Layla, a Kurdish immigrant. Faced with deportation, Layla must make a crucial life decision: to marry the exciting, witty Jewish David or conservative Muslim Dr. Ahmed? David’s lust turns to love as he discovers that behind the mysterious Layla is a strong, intelligent, sensitive human being with an ancient culture that parallels David’s own Jewish tradition- spice, music, dance and humor, despite unspeakable tragedy. David and Layla follow their hearts only to open up a whole new set of complications in this heartfelt romantic comedy: who will convert and how will this young couple shake off their “baggage” of their families’ prejudices and the background of hate, war and death flashed daily in the Media? David & Layla take the plunge: they wed, obliging the two families to discover that they share more in basic humanity than they had imagined; finding that love is wise and hatred is foolish.

David is seeing a shrink for his sexual psychosis and condom phobia: the fear that a condom may suffocate his manhood! Obsessed with sex, he has a secret vasectomy so he can enjoy lovemaking without the fear of producing kids.  David is the host of a Cable Access TV show, ‘Sex & Happiness.’ Presently he’s interviewing in Brooklyn for a program on ‘Ethnic Sex.

David  lives in the “artsy-fartsy” West Village while his parents, Mel & Judith, live in the fashionable Upper East Side. David is pushed by his Jewish Ashkenazi parents to marry a nice Jewish girl- wealthy, pretty Abby, an ex-Los Angeles fitness freak, and kickboxing enthusiast.

But David falls for and becomes obsessed with Layla, a voluptuous, knockout Kurdish beauty.  A recent immigrant, Layla is an ex-mountain fighter against Saddam and a survivor of the ‘Kurdish 9/11.’ She lost her entire family to Saddam's gassing of her town, Halabja. Layla lives in her Uncle Al's modest home near Brooklyn Heights (“Golan Heights!”) An actress, Layla now struggles with odd jobs, including dancing at night in Omar Khaayam Club, while telling her conservative, somewhat Muslim religious uncle, she's taking nurse training!

Interviewed on Atlantic Avenue, a Kurdish waiter answers David, "Yes! You know cumin spice, cumin? Our Viagra!"  David moves on to Layla: “How often do you have Halal sex?”  Layla slaps David who becomes even more smitten.

Layla is served with a deportation notice. She must marry an American within 45 days or she'll be deported. Layla's uncle finds her a rich Kuwaiti American Muslim dentist, Dr. Ahmed, who's only too eager to tie the knot.

But David is relentless. His romantic advisor is older, sardonic Francois, his French cameraman. Desperate, David tries Francois’ amour-fou schemes which all fail comically. Inflamed by Francois’ recounting of 7^th C. romantic legend of  “Layla & Majnun” and Layla’s erotic dance David lands literally into her home and asks the family's permission to interview their beloved niece - and maybe get a date! Even though he is mistaken for a Christian, he fails. Except Layla darts him a secret fatalistic but seductive glance on his way out.

Lust turns into love as David gradually discovers that behind the exotic beauty lives a sensitive, intelligent human being with a tragic past. David relates especially to the parallels between his own Jewish heritage and Layla’s lively Kurdish culture - food, music, dance and humor – despite unspeakable tragedy.

As her deportation deadline looms, Layla must choose between the handsome, adventurous, witty David and the conservative, older Dr. Ahmed. Guided by Aftaw Khan, her elderly auntie, Layla makes a bold choice. A pragmatic woman of simple wisdom, auntie is above men’s silly prejudices. (“Men are bulls, sons of bulls- Jewish, Mongol or Kurdish! Dance around your bull.”)

What happens when the families discover their relationship? ”Az der pots shtyet, der seykhl geyt in dr’erd!” [When the cock rises, the brains fly away] Mel pressures his son David to abort his pursuit of Layla. David’s mother, Judith, nearly has another heart attack! David:  “She’s beautiful, she's smart, and she can cook! A woman of my dreams!”