Signature Move is a 2017 American indie comedy-drama film directed by Jennifer Reeder and co-written and produced by Fawzia Mirza about a Pakistani Muslim lesbian living in Chicago with her mother. Mirza also introduced herself as a lesbian on Twitter before the film was announced. The film premiered at the 2017 South by Southwest Film Festival.

Premise Zaynab, a thirty-something woman living in Chicago, takes care of her TV-obsessed mother Parveen. As Zaynab falls for Alma, a bold and very bright Mexican woman, she searches for her identity in life, love and wrestling.

Cast Fawzia Mirza as Zaynab Shabana Azmi as Parveen Sari Sanchez as Alma Audrey Francis as Jayde Charin Alvarez as Rosa Mark Hood as Milo Molly Brennan as Killian Minita Gandhi as Hina Mia Park as Bookstore Customer The scholar Kareem Khubchandani has a cameo as a man outside on whom Parveen spies.

Production

Casting Fawzia Mirza approached Shabana Azmi in Chicago when she was there to work in a play. She signed her to play the role in the film. The film features Fawzia Mirza as a lesbian and Shabana Azmi as her mother. The cast also includes Sari Sanchez, Audrey Francis and Charin Alvarez.

Filming Shabana Azmi moved to Chicago in early August 2016. Fawzia posted a selfie with Azmi on Instagram and announced that they have started the shooting of the film.

Awards +YearAwardCategoryResult2017Cleveland International Film FestivalBest American Independent Feature FilmFilmOut San DiegoAudience Award - Best Actress (Fawzia Mirza) Festival Award - Best Director (Jennifer Reeder)Iris Prize FestivalBest Actress (Fawzia Mirza) L.A. OutfestGrand Jury Award - Outstanding American Narrative FeatureParis Lesbian and Feminist Film FestivalBest Feature Film Nashville Film FestivalBridgestone Narrative Feature CompetitionQCinema International Film FestivalBest Picture - RainbowQC CompetitionSXSW Film FestivalSXSW Adam Yauch Hörnblowér Award (Jennifer Reeder)SXSW Gamechanger Award (Jennifer Reeder)

See also

List of LGBT-related films directed by women

References

Further reading

External links