Signature Move is a 2017 American indie comedy-drama film directed by Jennifer Reeder and co-written and produced by Fawzia Mirza about a Pakistani Muslim lesbian living in Chicago with her mother. Mirza also introduced herself as a lesbian on Twitter before the film was announced. The film premiered at the 2017 South by Southwest Film Festival.
Contents
Premise
Zaynab, a thirty-something woman living in Chicago, takes care of her TV-obsessed mother Parveen. As Zaynab falls for Alma, a bold and very bright Mexican woman, she searches for her identity in life, love and wrestling.
Cast
Fawzia Mirza as Zaynab
Shabana Azmi as Parveen
Sari Sanchez as Alma
Audrey Francis as Jayde
Charin Alvarez as Rosa
Mark Hood as Milo
Molly Brennan as Killian
Minita Gandhi as Hina
Mia Park as Bookstore Customer
The scholar Kareem Khubchandani has a cameo as a man outside on whom Parveen spies.
Production
Casting
Fawzia Mirza approached Shabana Azmi in Chicago when she was there to work in a play. She signed her to play the role in the film. The film features Fawzia Mirza as a lesbian and Shabana Azmi as her mother. The cast also includes Sari Sanchez, Audrey Francis and Charin Alvarez.
Filming
Shabana Azmi moved to Chicago in early August 2016. Fawzia posted a selfie with Azmi on Instagram and announced that they have started the shooting of the film.