I Can't Think Straight
Encyclopedia
I Can't Think Straight is a 2007 romance movie about a London
-based Jordanian of Palestinian descent, Tala, who is preparing for an elaborate wedding. A turn of events causes her to have an affair and subsequently fall in love with another woman, Leyla, a British Indian
. The movie is distributed by Enlightenment Productions. It was released in different theatres between 2008 and 2009. The DVD was released on 4 May 2009. The movie is directed by Shamim Sarif
and stars Lisa Ray
and Sheetal Sheth
.
The two actresses star in another movie with lesbian characters, namely The World Unseen
, released in 2008.
Tagline: You can only find true love when you're true to yourself.
. 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. When Ali and Leyla's feisty sister Zara help throw Tala and Leyla together again, Tala finds that her own preconceptions of what love can be is the final hurdle she must jump to win Leyla back.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-based Jordanian of Palestinian descent, Tala, who is preparing for an elaborate wedding. A turn of events causes her to have an affair and subsequently fall in love with another woman, Leyla, a British Indian
British Indian
The term British Indian refers to citizens of the United Kingdom whose ancestral roots lie in India. This includes people born in the UK who are of Indian descent, and Indian-born people who have migrated to the UK...
. The movie is distributed by Enlightenment Productions. It was released in different theatres between 2008 and 2009. The DVD was released on 4 May 2009. The movie is directed by Shamim Sarif
Shamim Sarif
Shamim Sarif is a novelist and filmmaker of South Asian and South African heritage. Her roots inspired her to write her award-winning debut novel, The World Unseen, which explores issues of race, gender and sexuality, which she later adapted into a film starring Lisa Ray, shown at the London Film...
and stars Lisa Ray
Lisa Ray
Lisa Ray , born 4 April 1972, is a Canadian actress and former model.-Early life:Lisa Ray was born in Toronto to a Bengali Indian father and a Polish mother and grew up in the suburb of Etobicoke...
and Sheetal Sheth
Sheetal Sheth
Sheetal Sheth is an actress who is known for her wide range of roles in an impressive body of work in film, television, and theater. She has starred in many feature films, perhaps best known for starring opposite Albert Brooks in Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World...
.
The two actresses star in another movie with lesbian characters, namely The World Unseen
The World Unseen
The World Unseen is a 2008 historical drama film written and directed by Shamim Sarif, adapted from her own novel. The film is set in 1950s Cape Town, South Africa during the beginning of apartheid...
, released in 2008.
Tagline: You can only find true love when you're true to yourself.
Plot
In the upper echelons of traditional Middle Eastern society, Palestinians Reema and Omar prepare for the marriage of their daughter Tala to Hani in JordanJordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
. But back at work in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Tala encounters Leyla, a young British Indian
British Indian
The term British Indian refers to citizens of the United Kingdom whose ancestral roots lie in India. This includes people born in the UK who are of Indian descent, and Indian-born people who have migrated to the UK...
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. When Ali and Leyla's feisty sister Zara help throw Tala and Leyla together again, Tala finds that her own preconceptions of what love can be is the final hurdle she must jump to win Leyla back.
Cast
- Lisa RayLisa RayLisa Ray , born 4 April 1972, is a Canadian actress and former model.-Early life:Lisa Ray was born in Toronto to a Bengali Indian father and a Polish mother and grew up in the suburb of Etobicoke...
as Tala - Sheetal ShethSheetal ShethSheetal Sheth is an actress who is known for her wide range of roles in an impressive body of work in film, television, and theater. She has starred in many feature films, perhaps best known for starring opposite Albert Brooks in Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World...
as Leyla - Antonia Frering as Reema
- Dalip TahilDalip TahilDalip Tahil is an Indian film, television and theatre actor. He did his schooling from the elite Sherwood College in Nainital, India and later graduated from Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh.-Films:...
as Omar - Nina WadiaNina Wadia-Television and film:Wadia first came to prominence in BBC sketch show Goodness Gracious Me, playing characters such as Mrs "I can make it at home for nothing!" and one half of The Competitive Mothers...
as Housekeeper - Ernest Ignatius as Sam
- Kimberly JarajKimberly Jaraj-Filmography:* I Can't Think Straight * The Run * Iron Cross * Riding the Pine -External links:* *...
as Zina - Sam Vincenti as Kareem
- Anya LahiriAnya LahiriAnya Lahiri is a British actress, model and singer of Indian and Finnish origin.-Biography:...
as Lamia - Rez KemptonRez Kempton-Filmography:*2013 Stud Life as Reza*2013 The 25th Dynasty as Isaiah of Judah*2011 The Hidden Persuaders as Eric Simmons*2011 Viral as Detective Barker...
as Ali - Daud ShahDaud Shah (actor)Darwin Shaw, under both his stage name and his real name of Daud Shah, is a British stage, film and television actor. Formerly a medical doctor he retrained as an actor at LAMDA in 2004 after studying theatre in New York City.-Early life:...
as Hani - Ishwar Maharaj as Sami
- Amber Rose RevahAmber Rose RevahAmber Rose Revah is best known for her roles in From Paris With Love and Aazaan.-Career:She played Hala Hussein, Saddam Hussein's daughter in BBC/HBO BAFTA nominated series House of Saddam. Later she switched to main film roles and starred along side John Travolta in From Paris With Love...
as Yasmin
Awards
- Best Feature, Audience Award - Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival 2009
- Best Feature - International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival Of Canary Islands, 2009
- Best Feature - Afterellen Visibility Awards
- Best Feature, Audience Award - Melbourne Queer Film Festival 2009
- Best Feature, Audience Award - Pink Apple 2009
- Audience Award Best Feature Film - Fairy Tales International Queer Diversity Film Festival (Calgary) 2009
- Jury Winner Best Feature Film - Festival Del Mar, Majorca 2009
- Audience Award, Best Feature - Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2009
- Best lesbian movie - The Holebifilmfestival Vlaams-Brabant 2009, Belgium
- Jury award for Best Women's Feature - Tampa International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival 2009
- Best Feature Film - Gay Film Nights International Film Festival 2009
International releases
- New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, November 21, 2008
- San Francisco, November 28, 2008
- Portland, December 12, 2008
- Germany, Switzerland, Austria Lichtenstein and Sud Tirol, April 16, 2009
- United Kingdom, April 3, 2009
- United Kingdom (DVD), April 10
- India, Sempteber 11th 2009
- The Netherlands (DVD), Octorber 13th 2009