The comedy/drama The Queen of My Dreams recently took home the Grand Jury Prize for top feature at this year’s 37th edition of Montreal’s Image + Nation festival. This well-deserved honor spotlights the writing and directing talents of Canadian filmmaker Fawzia Mirza, best known for 2017’s Signature Move, a film she both starred in and co-wrote. The Queen of My Dreams is based on Mirza’s stage play Me, My Mom & Sharmila which was inspired by her 2012 short film The Queen of My Dreams. The Canadia-Pakistan production had its premiere as part of the Discovery program at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. It was also named to TIFF’s 2023 Canada’s Top Ten list as well as being shortlisted for the 2023 Jean-Marc Vallée DGC Discovery Award.
The Queen of My Dreams begins in Toronto in 1999 where we are introduced to the main character Azra (portrayed by Amrit Kaur from the television series The Sex Lives of College Girls) and her girlfriend as they spend an evening watching an old Bollywood movie on VHS tape. This early scene hints at one of the film’s main themes, specifically, the cultural clash between the realities of modern-day life and the dated archaic stereotypes often depicted in Bollywood cinema.
Azra is a Pakistani Canadian who, much to her traditional mother’s chagrin, is studying acting and working towards earning her MFA. From the beginning it’s clear that her mother Mariam (played by Nimra Bucha) isn’t shy about vocalizing her disdain for her daughter’s life choices as she refers to Toronto as being that “smoky city” and belittles Azra’s education as a waste of time and money.
Following her father’s sudden death Azra finds herself on a plane travelling to Pakistan to attend his funeral. It’s at this juncture of The Queen of My Dreams that the cultural and socio-political contrast between the secular world and Pakistan’s rigid Islamic code of conduct is made crystal clear. Even before arriving in the country when Azra asks the stewardess for a drink, she is told that alcohol is strictly forbidden in Islamic society. Shortly afterwards an older woman sitting across from Azra tells turns to her and comments with a note of melancholy, “Now we have to move forward. For the sake of our present, we have to forget our past.”
The Queen of My Dreams presents viewers with a stark clash of cultures as Mirza skillfully makes optimum use of sparkling and vivid cinematography along with a lively musical soundtrack to depict the sights and sounds of modern Pakistan. The filmmaker’s sensual visual style utilizes a vibrant color palette to such a keen extent that the bright hues almost pop off the screen while giving filmgoers an almost visceral sense of the exotic smells and fragrant scents of the perfumes, curries, flowers, spices, and incense wafting through the air.
When the film flashes back in time to 1969 Karachi we are introduced to Azra’s mother, Mariam as a vibrant young woman yearning to forge her own path in life while at the same time striving to respect her culture and family traditions. In keeping with the Bollywood theme Amrit Kaur who stars as the film’s main character Azra also portrays a younger version of her mother. This casting choice harkens back to the beginning of The Queen of My Dreams when Azra explains how Bollywood films routinely use the same actor to portray more than one character.
The Queen of My Dreams provides viewers with insight into Mariam’s back story and the roots of her relationship with her husband Hassan (played by Hamza Haq). This portion of the film features many of its most humorous scenes as Azra and her parents are depicted interviewing potential husbands for their daughter. In a particularly funny scene one of these suitors has just one question for Mariam, “Can you make chai tea?” When she answers in the affirmative, he smiles and responds, “My #1 quality in a wife.” Miriam replies with a simple observation, “Really low standards huh?” to which he smiles and says, “Thank you.”
The timeframe and narrative shifts in The Queen of My Dreams serve to illustrate the stark differences between Pakistan in the late ’60s and the all-encompassing influence of Islam with its strict religious code of conduct imposed on the modern-day country, its people, and society in general. Mirza affords viewers with an astute contrast between religious influence in Pakistan and the modern secular society of Canada. During the scenes which take place in 1969 Karachi the city is depicted as being free and bustling with a vibrant mix of people enjoying life, smoking, drinking, and dancing. The freedom and social culture of this time period is contrasted with the strict Islamic religious laws governing residents of the country in the 21st century. This is particularly evident when the film addresses issues relating to gender segregation. In one particularly noteworthy scene Azra finds herself unable to participate in the pre burial bathing ritual of her father due to Islamic tradition which dictates that this can only be done by men who in turn are also the only ones allowed to transport the body to the graveyard while the female relatives (including his wife and daughter) are forced to remain behind. One of Azra’s female relatives comments on the situation by saying with a note of sadness, “it’s just the way things are done…maybe things are a little fucked up everywhere.”
By the time the narrative switches to 1989 in Sydney, Nova Scotia Canadian viewers are forced to confront our own cultural history and religious traditions as is illustrated in a scene which takes place at Azra’s new school when she, along with a Jehovah’s Witness student, are ostracized from their fellow classmates when they are forced to drag their desks out into the hallway while the teacher teaches (preaches) bible study to the rest of the students. It’s also during the scenes which take place in small town Nova Scotia that Azra begins exploring issues regarding her sexuality. During her 12th birthday party while awkwardly dancing with a boy Azra looks wistfully over at her female friend across the room. Later on when the two preteen girls are left alone they play spin the bottle and almost kiss but are interrupted by Azra’s shocked and disgusted mother.
The Queen of My Dreams is a visual treat which interweaves its narrative through time, tradition, culture, religion, sexuality, and the complicated relationship dynamics between mothers and daughters. The film demonstrates that while family and tradition are important each generation must strive to forge its own path amidst our global village which has been made even more intimate by modern technology and the internet. The Queen of My Dreams is a delightful treat for the senses and a triumphant feature film directing debut for multi-talented filmmaker Fawzia Mirza.
The Queen of My Dreams was part of the Image+National Film Festival. Details HERE.
