The Queen of My Dreams


The Queen of My Dreams is a 2023 Pakistani Canadian comedy-drama film, written and directed by Fawzia Mirza in her feature directorial debut. The film is based on Mirza's theatrical stage play Me, My Mom & Sharmila, which in turn was based on her 2012 short film The Queen of My Dreams. The film stars Amrit Kaur as Azra, a Pakistani Canadian woman who has had a strained relationship with her parents since coming out as lesbian, who undergoes an emotional journey after the sudden unexpected death of her father Hassan.
The film had its world premiere in the Discovery program at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. The film later received five Canadian Screen Award nominations at the 12th Canadian Screen Awards in 2024, winning for Best Lead Performance and Best Original Song.

Cast

Lead cast

Supporting cast

  • Charlie Boyle as Sharon
  • Kirstin Howell as Sturdy Woman
  • Josh MacDonald as Mr. Sharp
  • Ali Kazmi as Zahid Malik
  • Lindsay Watters as Sturdy Woman
  • Sheema Kermani as Dance Instructor
  • Meher Jaffri as Sadia
  • Uzma Beg as Hassan's mother
  • Azra Mohyeddin as Worst Auntie
  • Zarqa Naz as Proper Auntie
  • Sameena Nazir as Motherly Auntie
  • Kya Mosey as Rachel
  • Shamim Hilaly as Woman on Plane
  • Emerson MacNeil as Alicia
  • Thea Burton as Sturdy Woman
  • Hasan Arif as Rishta
  • Anwaar as Rishta
  • Adnan Jaffar as Irfan Kadri
  • Saad Zameer as Bootlegger
  • Vicky Yi-Yin Zhuang as Jenny
  • Trina Corkum as Mrs. Shah
  • Carl Gosine as Dr. Shah
  • Siya Ajay as Jaya Shah
  • Meesum Naqvi as Gatekeeper
  • Areeba Suleman as Flight Attendent
  • Bakhtawar Mazhar as Rani Khala
  • Danish Irshad as Baji
  • Zara Usman as Rani
  • Wolfgang Foster as Wayne
  • Nishat Kazmi as Nani
  • Mujtaba Hussain as Flower Seller
  • Jahanzaib Navi as Fruit Seller
  • Gul-e-Rana as Amira Kadri

Production

The film was shot in 2022, under the working title Me, My Mom & Sharmila.
It was adapted from Mirza's theatrical stage play of the same name, which was itself drawn from her 2012 short film The Queen of My Dreams.

Distribution

The film was screened at the Cannes Film Market in May 2023, and had its public premiere in the Discovery program at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.
In May 2025, Willa and Product of Culture acquired US distribution rights to the film, and set it for a June 20, 2025, release.

Reception

The film was named to TIFF's annual Canada's Top Ten list for 2023.

Awards

The film was shortlisted for the 2023 Jean-Marc Vallée DGC Discovery Award.
The film received five Canadian Screen Award nominations at the 12th Canadian Screen Awards in 2024, for Best Lead Performance in a Drama Film, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction/Production Design, Best Original Score and Best Original Song, winning for Best Lead Performance and Best Original Song.
Mirza was co-winner, with Karen Knox for We Forgot to Break Up, of the DGC Award for Best Direction in a Feature Film.