"The Queen of My Dreams" weaves through time to tell its mother/daughter story. Nimra Bucha (left) plays Mariam in the present day, while Ayana Manji (center) plays her daughter Azra in the past. Amrit Kaur (right) is expertly double-cast as present-day Azra as well as the past version of Mariam. Photo source: Cineplex Pictures
In a recent post on social media, Muslim Canadian Fawzia Mirza announced that her full-length directorial debut, “The Queen of My Dreams” (2023), has earned a cross-Canada theatrical release. The film will be distributed by Cineplex Pictures.
Earlier this month, Mirza announced that "The Queen of My Dreams" is set to make its United States premiere at the esteemed South by Southwest (SXSW) festival this March. This comedy-drama, born from Mirza's 2012 short of the same name, has already garnered critical acclaim after premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and securing a spot among TIFF's top 10 films of 2023.
Ahead of its upcoming releases, the film has produced an updated trailer to reflect the praise and acclaim the film has received since its release.
"The Queen of My Dreams" revolves around the life of Azra (Amrit Kaur), a Pakistani Canadian woman whose aspirations lean towards grad school rather than conforming to societal expectations as her mother Mariam’s (Nimra Bucha) perfect Muslim daughter. Azra's relationship with her parents becomes strained when she comes out as queer. However, tragedy strikes when her father unexpectedly passes away, prompting Azra to return to Pakistan. This sets the stage for Azra to confront the complexities of her relationship with her mother.
The film skillfully weaves in flashbacks, offering a glimpse into Mariam's own complex life in Karachi 30 years prior, exploring the character’s transformation from her more liberal past to her present-day conservatism. Notably, Kaur takes on the challenging dual role of portraying both Azra and the younger version of Mariam, a casting choice Mirza describes as an "homage to South Asian films where double-casting is a common practice."
Since its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2023, "The Queen of My Dreams" has been showered with critical acclaim. The film was shortlisted for the 2023 Jean-Marc Vallée DGC Discovery Award at the Directors Guild of Canada, showcasing the recognition of Mirza's directorial prowess. Mirza herself was nominated for the First Feature Competition at the London Film Festival.
Kaur's stellar performance did not go unnoticed either, as she clinched the Best Actress award at the Iris Prize Festival for her dual portrayal of Azra and the younger Mariam.
“The Queen of My Dreams” will make its SXSW 2024 debut the week of March 8, and will hit Canadian theaters later that month on March 22. Watch the updated trailer for the film below.
Anwar Molani is a doctor by day and actor by night. He plays Dad, Soniya and Yasmeen’s family patriarch, in the “Ramadan America” short “In The Meantime.”
