The cross-cultural comedic drama titled The Queen of My Dreams, co-produced jointly by Pakistan and Canada is scheduled to make its highly anticipated debut at the renowned Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on 8 September 2023
Director Fawzia Mirza’s stylish feature debut mashes up the textures of Indian cinema and a Canadian coming-of-age picture, tracing key moments in the lives of a mother and daughter born three decades apart.
The film offers a poignant and lively storyline. The narrative centers around Azra, a Pakistani woman who resides in Toronto and finds herself at odds with the conservative principles upheld by her mother. The untimely passing of her father during a trip to Pakistan becomes the driving force behind Azra’s expedition through a blend of factual and imagined memories. Her journey spans from her mother’s youthful experiences in Karachi to Azra’s own developmental years in rural Canada, infused with elements reminiscent of Bollywood cinema.
The ensemble cast includes recognisable figures like Amrit Kaur of HBO Max’s The Sex Lives of College Girls, Nimra Bucha, from Ms. Marvel, and Hamza Haq from CTV’s Transplant. Other esteemed actors, including Gul e Rana, Ali A. Kazmi, Meher Jaffri, Bakhtawar Mazhar, and Adnan Jaffar, contribute to the film’s compelling narrative.
The film is the outcome of a distinctive collaboration across borders, uniting Pakistani producers Kamil Chima and Carol Noronha with their Canadian counterparts Jason Levangie, Marc Tetreault, and Andria Wilson Mirza.
The production involved a 30-day shoot in Karachi during 2022, and a 10-day session in Nova Scotia, Canada.
The director expressed her sentiments, sharing that the realization of creating a feature film in Pakistan had been a long-held aspiration.
The upcoming premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival is a big step for the creators of the film. It offers audiences a unique cinematic experience that explores cultural and geographic boundaries. As Pakistan continues to pave a path toward global recognition, The Queen of My Dreams is another feather in the country’s creative cap.
