Wrong Side of the Court

A sweet young man growing up in a Toronto public housing project witnesses the brutal murder of his best friend’s brother, confronts his mother’s designs for an arranged marriage in Pakistan, and finds his grit on a basketball court. Adapted from the celebrated novel by Humayun Khan, WRONG SIDE OF THE COURT is a tender portrait of a young man on the cusp of adulthood and the vibrant, sometimes violent community the dreams of escaping.

Fawad Chaudhry dreams of escape. A sweet, diplomatic fifteen-year-old, he lives in small apartment in a public housing complex in Toronto’s Regent Park with his mother and older sister. He shares an intimate bond of loyalty with his friends, Yousuf and Omar and they protect each other from the simmering violence that surrounds them.  At home Fawad carries the weight of the dreams his late father had for the family in Canada, and his mother’s designs for him to marry his cousin in Pakistan. When Yousuf’s older brother, Abshir is murdered, Fawad loses an uncle figure in a neighborhood run by competing crews. Yousuf retreats into mourning the loss of his brother and dreading the reprisal killing he knows is coming. Without Abshir’s protection, Fawad falls prey to Omar, the wannabe gangster son of a respected local imam, who taunts and bullies him at every opportunity. Regent Park athletics coach Jerome takes an interest in Fawad and teaches him how to assert himself physically on the basketball court. Under Jerome’s tutelage, Fawad learns discipline, self-confidence, and how to work toward a higher goal as part of a team. As the City Championship game approaches, Omar and his crew give Fawad a vicious beating, leaving his participation in the game in doubt. Fawad summons his strength, shows up for his team and confronts his nemesis on the court.