The Queen of My Dreams

The Queen of My Dreams is a 2023 Canadian comedy drama film, written and directed by Fawzia Mirza. Mirza's full-length directorial debut, 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).

The film had its world premiere in the Discovery program at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.

Cast
The cast is lead by Amrit Kaur as Azra and Hamza Haq as her father, Hassan.

The film's supporting cast includes Nimra Bucha, Charlie Boyle, Kirstin Howell, Josh MacDonald, Ali Kazmi, Lindsay Watters, Uzma Beg, Kya Mosey, Emerson MacNeil, Meher Jaffri, Ayana Manji, Adnan Jaffar and Bakhtawar Mazhar.

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.

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 (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.