Desire in Motion
Desire in Motion is a bi-monthly screening series at Toronto’s Paradise Theatre programmed by Jacob Crepeault in collaboration with REEL CANADA. This series explores love, intimacy, and relationships through a distinctly Canadian perspective.
THE QUEEN OF MY DREAMS
Dir. Fawzia Mirza | Canada | 2023 | 97 mins
Preceded by Noor & Layla (dir. Fawzia Mirza, 2021)
May 28, 2025
There has always been a resounding appetite for romance in film. In recent years, there has been a wonderfully vibrant output of queer Asian romance films that demand everyone’s attention and subvert traditional rom-com expectations. With two breakout hits making waves in 2025, Roshan Sethi’s A Nice Indian Boy and Andrew Ahn’s The Wedding Banquet, Desire in Motion is joining the fun by presenting Fawzia Mirza’s The Queen of My Dreams, a destined-to-be-classic Canadian film that leaps off the screen with a joyous energy.
Fawzia Mirza’s feature debut is a glorious mash-up of the extravagance of Bollywood cinema and the small town charm of the Canadian East Coast. The film connects pivotal moments in the lives of Mariam (Nimra Bucha, Polite Society) and her daughter, Azra (Amrit Kaur, The Sex Lives of College Girls). Although mother and daughter are worlds apart, both physically and mentally, they are brought together unexpectedly after the sudden death of Azra’s father, Hassan (Hamza Haq, Viking). Past and present intertwine as the film weaves together Mariam and Hassan’s young love in 1969 Karachi, as well as Azra’s teenage queer awakening in 1989 Nova Scotia.
The Queen of My Dreams premiered at TIFF in 2023 and went on to win two Canadian Screen Awards for Best Lead Performance in a Drama Film (Amrit Kaur) and Best Original Song (Qurram Hussain for "Ishq Ki Na Koi Bhi Hud Hai"). The film is a must-see on the big screen for anyone wishing to be enraptured by a dreamy, heartfelt spectacle.
THE ART OF WOO
Dir. Helen Lee | Canada | 2001 | 97 mins
Preceded by Tenderness (Dir. Helen Lee, 2024)
In-person Q&A with Helen Lee (writer/director), Sally Lee (costume designer), Kurt Swinghammer (composer), and Ross McKie (story editor).
April 16, 2025
The Art of Woo is a captivating romantic comedy about Alessa Woo (Sook-Yin Lee), an ambitious woman who dreams of conquering the Toronto art scene, and Ben Crowchild (Adam Beach), a soft-spoken Cree artist who moves in next door. From their first encounter, Alessa and Ben feel cosmically connected and not just because they share an adjoining bathroom and a mutual passion for art. Alessa’s determination as a curator intrigues Ben, who has more hidden connections to the art world than Alessa realizes. As the pair spend more time together, their carefully-curated lives begin to unravel and secrets from the past test their budding romance.
The Art of Woo was ahead of its time when it debuted in 2001, a period when film critics couldn’t accept two non-white romantic leads and a bold script that is still as inspiring today as it was two decades ago. The film brilliantly explores the deeply human desire to transcend the material world and live a fulfilling life on one’s own terms.