It's a drama about a clash of generations and cultures set in 1969, 1989, and 1999 in Toronto, Ontario, Karachi, Pakistan, and Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. It follows the relationships of a young Canadian-Pakistani woman, Azra (Ayana Manji/Amrit Kaur), who is educated in Canada but returns to Pakistan in 1999 with her brother for her father's funeral. Flashbacks to 1969 tell the story of the romance of Azra's mother, Mariam (Amrit Kaur/Nimra Bucha), and her father, Hassan (Hamza Haq), and the secret they keep from Mariam's parents.
Hassan, a medical doctor, and Mariam, who are secular Muslims, move to Nova Scotia in 1989 when Azra is 12. Azra and her older brother, Zahid (Ali A. Kazmi), adapt to Canadian culture, and Azra discovers the track of her sexuality. A crisis in 1989 changes Mariam's response to her faith and alters the family dynamics that persist in 1999.
A backdrop to the story is a Bollywood movie from 1969.
"The Queen of My Dreams" is ambitious, albeit relatively short at 96 minutes. Humor is mixed throughout, but it's not a comedy. Much of the Bollywood riffs passed me by. But the clash of secular and devout Muslim faith between generations is portrayed interestingly. It could be clearer if the film focuses on Azra or Mariam, and I felt shortchanged on Azra's character. Still, "The Queen of My Dreams" is an engaging multicultural film.
Hassan, a medical doctor, and Mariam, who are secular Muslims, move to Nova Scotia in 1989 when Azra is 12. Azra and her older brother, Zahid (Ali A. Kazmi), adapt to Canadian culture, and Azra discovers the track of her sexuality. A crisis in 1989 changes Mariam's response to her faith and alters the family dynamics that persist in 1999.
A backdrop to the story is a Bollywood movie from 1969.
"The Queen of My Dreams" is ambitious, albeit relatively short at 96 minutes. Humor is mixed throughout, but it's not a comedy. Much of the Bollywood riffs passed me by. But the clash of secular and devout Muslim faith between generations is portrayed interestingly. It could be clearer if the film focuses on Azra or Mariam, and I felt shortchanged on Azra's character. Still, "The Queen of My Dreams" is an engaging multicultural film.
