Opening Night Gala
Wednesday, February 28
6:30 pm / The Isabel
OPENING NIGHT FILM: THE QUEEN OF MY DREAMS
Director: Fawzia Mirza
Cast: Amrit Kaur, Hamza Haq, Nimra Bucha
Language: English, Urdu with English subtitles
Runtime: 96 minutes
The Opening Night selection for this year’s KCFF, this debut feature by Fawzia Mirza is a continually surprising, moving and exuberant story about the complicated bonds between parents and children. In this case, it’s the connection between Mariam (Nimra Bucha) and Azra (Amrit Kaur), a mother and daughter whose tenuous relationship is put under greater strain when Azra’s beloved father Hassan (Hamza Haq) suddenly dies during a visit home to Pakistan. After coming to Karachi for the funeral, Azra – long the subject of her mother’s disapproval due to her sexuality – initially bristles at her family’s conservative ways. But she also begins to see her mother in a new light, as do the film’s viewers, thanks to the flashbacks depicting Mariam’s life as a younger woman in Pakistan and small-town Nova Scotia (with Kaur effortlessly sliding into that role as well). Energizing a perceptive family drama with playful homages to vintage Indian cinema at its most romantic, Mirza has created an immensely vibrant and endearing movie that is sure to delight and touch viewers.
POST-SHOW RECEPTION IN THE ISABEL LOBBY
Raise a glass and celebrate the start of another Kingston Canadian Film Festival! You won’t have to travel to enjoy the reception this year: patrons attending the opening night film will be invited to the Isabel lobby to enjoy a complimentary drink and apps immediately following. Admission to the party is included in the ticket price.
TICKETS ON SALE FEBRUARY 2
