The Queen of My Dreams is a 2023 Pakistani Canadian comedy-drama film, written and directed by Fawzia Mirza in her feature directorial debut.Wendy Mitchell, "LevelK takes on international sales for TIFF-bound 'The Queen Of My Dreams'". Screen Daily, August 8, 2023. 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.Victoria Ahearn, "Fawzia Mirza's Me, My Mom & Sharmila sets up for production". Playback, August 29, 2022. 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 (Hamza Haq).Marta Bałaga, "Queer Screen Mardi Gras Film Festival Unveils Goes to Cannes Lineup, a 'Rich Tapestry of Stories'". Variety, May 5, 2023.
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 Amrit Kaur as Azra Malik Ayana Manji as Young Azra Hamza Haq as Hassan Malik Nimra Bucha as Mariam Malik Amrit Kaur as Young Mariam
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.Naman Ramachandran, "Amrit Kaur, Hamza Haq, Nimra Bucha Lead Fawzia Mirza's Pakistani-Canadian Film 'Me, My Mom & Sharmila'". Variety, August 24, 2022.
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.Valerie Complex, "TIFF Unveils Cinematic First Looks With Discovery And Midnight Madness Program; World Premieres Include 'Hell Of A Summer,' 'Gonzo Girl,' 'Widow Clicquot,' And 'Boy Kills World'". Deadline Hollywood, August 3, 2023.
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 Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 66 out of 100, based on 6 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.
The film was named to TIFF's annual Canada's Top Ten list for 2023.Pat Mullen, "TIFF's Canada's Top Ten Includes BlackBerry, Solo, Humanist Vampire". That Shelf, December 6, 2023.
Awards The film was shortlisted for the 2023 Jean-Marc Vallée DGC Discovery Award.Taimur Sikander Mirza, "Women Talking leads film nominees for 2023 DGC Awards". Playback, September 20, 2023.
The film received five Canadian Screen Award nominations at the 12th Canadian Screen Awards in 2024, for Best Lead Performance in a Drama Film (Kaur), Best Adapted Screenplay (Mirza), Best Art Direction/Production Design (Michael Pierson), Best Original Score (Alysha Brilla) and Best Original Song (Qurram Hussain for "Ishq Ki Na Koi Bhi Hud Hai"), winning for Best Lead Performance and Best Original Song."BlackBerry Leads CSA Nominations". Northern Stars, March 6, 2024.
Mirza was co-winner, with Karen Knox for We Forgot to Break Up, of the DGC Award for Best Direction in a Feature Film.Alex Nino Gheciu, "‘Queen of My Dreams,’ ‘We Forgot to Break Up’ tie for top Directors Guild award". Brandon Sun, October 28, 2024.
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