A few weeks back, when she and her friends stopped at a soft drink shop in Lahore, the shopkeeper refused to take money despite their repeated insistence. Finally, he whispered, “I have not seen ‘Joyland’, but know that the movie is being shown across the world. You have done the country proud.”
Walking home, she could not help but smile. She also remembered the time when she and her companions were pulled out of the car and beaten with sticks — their only crime — they belonged to the trans community. Not to mention, the several instances of sexual abuse.
Alina Khan, who played the character of ‘Biba’ in ‘Joyland’, Pakistan’s official entry to the 95th Academy Awards and the first film from the country to premiere at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival and win the Jury Prize of the Un Certain Regard section, is just back from a long day before speaking to Ians from Lahore.
Walking home, she could not help but smile. She also remembered the time when she and her companions were pulled out of the car and beaten with sticks — their only crime — they belonged to the trans community. Not to mention, the several instances of sexual abuse.
Alina Khan, who played the character of ‘Biba’ in ‘Joyland’, Pakistan’s official entry to the 95th Academy Awards and the first film from the country to premiere at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival and win the Jury Prize of the Un Certain Regard section, is just back from a long day before speaking to Ians from Lahore.
- 9/8/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
The first ever Pakistani film selected to screen in Cannes draws its title from the eponymous amusement park in Lahore, a place that offers refuge to people who seek acceptance, or brief moments of joy.
“Joyland” is screening at San Diego Asian Film Festival Spring Showcase
Saim Sadiq returns to the topic of sexual identity and patriarchal structures that strongly dominate his homeland, and to the milieu of the erotic dance theatre he has already explored in his wonderfully accomplished short “Darling”, which won the Orizzonti Competition in Venice 2019. Starring Ali Junejo as Haider, a young man living according to tradition, dancing to the tunes of his father and his hoarse older brother Saleem (Sohail Sameer), “Joyland” speaks of repressed desires of both sexes, strongly divided gender roles, and a never ending chain of compromises someone who doesn't fit into such image has to make.
Haider lives in an arranged...
“Joyland” is screening at San Diego Asian Film Festival Spring Showcase
Saim Sadiq returns to the topic of sexual identity and patriarchal structures that strongly dominate his homeland, and to the milieu of the erotic dance theatre he has already explored in his wonderfully accomplished short “Darling”, which won the Orizzonti Competition in Venice 2019. Starring Ali Junejo as Haider, a young man living according to tradition, dancing to the tunes of his father and his hoarse older brother Saleem (Sohail Sameer), “Joyland” speaks of repressed desires of both sexes, strongly divided gender roles, and a never ending chain of compromises someone who doesn't fit into such image has to make.
Haider lives in an arranged...
- 4/21/2023
- by Marina D. Richter
- AsianMoviePulse
Editors note: This review was originally published May 23 after its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. The film opens in New York on Friday and in Los Angeles on April 21.
A married man falls for a trans woman in Joyland, the first Pakistani feature to play in Cannes. Saim Sadiq’s atmospheric Un Certain Regard drama also explores a whole family, presenting a picture of a clan torn between modernity and tradition in contemporary Lahore.
Haider (Ali Junejo) has a seemingly happy arranged marriage with Mumtaz (Rasti Farooq). But when he gains work as a backing dancer for the glamorous trans performer Biba (Alina Khan), his eyes are opened to another way of life — and potentially another way of loving. Meanwhile, his wife is frustrated with the expectations of the patriarchal society she lives in, and much less enthusiastic about the prospect of bringing another boy into the family.
The Joyland of the title is an amusement park which provides an escape for many of the group, whether dancing with a troupe or screaming out their pain on a fairground ride.
Haider makes for a quietly compelling lead: a man oppressed by his father’s conventional expectations, and more sensitive than he dare admit. His wife is a tragic figure: a smart woman who deserves more than her lot. But the most distinctive character is Biba, the pre-op trans woman who makes a living with exotic dancing — sometimes in front of a large, relatively mainstream audience, other times for a small crew of lewd, sexually aggressive men.
The relationship between Haider and Biba is riveting — we’re never quite sure how far it will go, or what drives Haider. There’s a suggestion that he may be attracted to men, which infuriates Biba, who identifies as female. And yet there is a tangible tenderness between these two lost souls, both living lives they haven’t signed up for. That Biba has made the brave move to change her gender implicitly emboldens Haider to live more honestly according to his own sexuality. But this may come at a cost.
Joyland has a vivid sense of place, created not so much by its geographical backdrop as its characters. There’s an attention to detail in the rituals of daily life, whether it’s family celebrations or the rehearsals of the dance group. Mostly restrained emotionally, this packs an unexpected gut punch towards the end of the film, where it shifts focus to a deserving subject and drops another key character.
Presumably that’s meant to reflect the perspective of the protagonist, though it does leave some stories up in the air. But Joyland remains a thoughtful, well performed and engrossing drama set in a culture that’s shifting, and not always with ease.
Title: Joyland
Studio: Oscilloscope Laboratories
Release date: April 7, 2023 (NY)/April 21 (L.A.)
Director-screenwriter: Saim Sadiq
Cast: Ali Junejo Rasti Farooq, Alina Khan, Sarwat Gilani, Sohail Sameer, Salmaan Peerzada, Sania Saeed
Running time: 2 hr 7 mins...
A married man falls for a trans woman in Joyland, the first Pakistani feature to play in Cannes. Saim Sadiq’s atmospheric Un Certain Regard drama also explores a whole family, presenting a picture of a clan torn between modernity and tradition in contemporary Lahore.
Haider (Ali Junejo) has a seemingly happy arranged marriage with Mumtaz (Rasti Farooq). But when he gains work as a backing dancer for the glamorous trans performer Biba (Alina Khan), his eyes are opened to another way of life — and potentially another way of loving. Meanwhile, his wife is frustrated with the expectations of the patriarchal society she lives in, and much less enthusiastic about the prospect of bringing another boy into the family.
The Joyland of the title is an amusement park which provides an escape for many of the group, whether dancing with a troupe or screaming out their pain on a fairground ride.
Haider makes for a quietly compelling lead: a man oppressed by his father’s conventional expectations, and more sensitive than he dare admit. His wife is a tragic figure: a smart woman who deserves more than her lot. But the most distinctive character is Biba, the pre-op trans woman who makes a living with exotic dancing — sometimes in front of a large, relatively mainstream audience, other times for a small crew of lewd, sexually aggressive men.
The relationship between Haider and Biba is riveting — we’re never quite sure how far it will go, or what drives Haider. There’s a suggestion that he may be attracted to men, which infuriates Biba, who identifies as female. And yet there is a tangible tenderness between these two lost souls, both living lives they haven’t signed up for. That Biba has made the brave move to change her gender implicitly emboldens Haider to live more honestly according to his own sexuality. But this may come at a cost.
Joyland has a vivid sense of place, created not so much by its geographical backdrop as its characters. There’s an attention to detail in the rituals of daily life, whether it’s family celebrations or the rehearsals of the dance group. Mostly restrained emotionally, this packs an unexpected gut punch towards the end of the film, where it shifts focus to a deserving subject and drops another key character.
Presumably that’s meant to reflect the perspective of the protagonist, though it does leave some stories up in the air. But Joyland remains a thoughtful, well performed and engrossing drama set in a culture that’s shifting, and not always with ease.
Title: Joyland
Studio: Oscilloscope Laboratories
Release date: April 7, 2023 (NY)/April 21 (L.A.)
Director-screenwriter: Saim Sadiq
Cast: Ali Junejo Rasti Farooq, Alina Khan, Sarwat Gilani, Sohail Sameer, Salmaan Peerzada, Sania Saeed
Running time: 2 hr 7 mins...
- 4/7/2023
- by Anna Smith
- Deadline Film + TV
Winner of the Queer Palm at Cannes last year, writer-director Saim Sadiq’s feature debut Joyland depicts a blooming love between closeted married man Haider (Ali Junejo) and Biba (Alina Khan), a trans erotic performer who employs Haider as one of her (heretofore untrained) back-up dancers. The film chronicles the ever-shifting dynamics between Biba, Haider, his wife Mumtaz (Rasti Farooq) and their intensely patriarchal immediate family. A ban on the film in Sadiq’s native Pakistan occurred due to Joyland‘s queer explorations. In a public statement, a right-wing government pundit stated that the film was “against Pakistani values,” adding that “glamorizing transgenders […]
The post “A Fear of the Freedom That You Thought You Wanted”: Saim Sadiq on Joyland first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “A Fear of the Freedom That You Thought You Wanted”: Saim Sadiq on Joyland first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 4/6/2023
- by Natalia Keogan
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Winner of the Queer Palm at Cannes last year, writer-director Saim Sadiq’s feature debut Joyland depicts a blooming love between closeted married man Haider (Ali Junejo) and Biba (Alina Khan), a trans erotic performer who employs Haider as one of her (heretofore untrained) back-up dancers. The film chronicles the ever-shifting dynamics between Biba, Haider, his wife Mumtaz (Rasti Farooq) and their intensely patriarchal immediate family. A ban on the film in Sadiq’s native Pakistan occurred due to Joyland‘s queer explorations. In a public statement, a right-wing government pundit stated that the film was “against Pakistani values,” adding that “glamorizing transgenders […]
The post “A Fear of the Freedom That You Thought You Wanted”: Saim Sadiq on Joyland first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “A Fear of the Freedom That You Thought You Wanted”: Saim Sadiq on Joyland first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 4/6/2023
- by Natalia Keogan
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
A celebration of the achievements of South Asian women was held Saturday in downtown Los Angeles, galvanizing a community to move forward in entertainment and create “space for mainstream wins.”
Sponsored by the Product of Culture and South Asian Women in Entertainment, the luncheon aimed to raise awareness and provide networking opportunities. The South Asian community has particular struggles, including defying religious and societal norms and traditions, transphobia, and sometimes government interference in their native countries.
South Asian women comprise only 0.3% of screen time for television and film, according to event organizers.
“It’s important to build these spaces and celebrate the wins of the largest global diaspora,” said Archana Misra Jain, CEO, Product of Culture.. “What we’re cultivating today is influencing pop culture, empowering a critical mass, and creating the space for mainstream wins. Product of Culture’s cornerstone is to merge content, commerce and culture, while representing...
Sponsored by the Product of Culture and South Asian Women in Entertainment, the luncheon aimed to raise awareness and provide networking opportunities. The South Asian community has particular struggles, including defying religious and societal norms and traditions, transphobia, and sometimes government interference in their native countries.
South Asian women comprise only 0.3% of screen time for television and film, according to event organizers.
“It’s important to build these spaces and celebrate the wins of the largest global diaspora,” said Archana Misra Jain, CEO, Product of Culture.. “What we’re cultivating today is influencing pop culture, empowering a critical mass, and creating the space for mainstream wins. Product of Culture’s cornerstone is to merge content, commerce and culture, while representing...
- 3/12/2023
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
The widely acclaimed film Joyland, the first Pakistani feature to premiere at the 75th Cannes Film Festival in Un Certain Regard, has just won the Best International Film award at the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards. Starring Ali Junejo, Rasti Farooq, Alina Khan, Sarwat Gilani, Sohail Sameer, Salmaan Peerzada,
and Sania Saeed will soon be released in U.S. theaters beginning with New York on April 7, Los Angeles on April 21 plus more cities afterwards.
The debut feature from writer-director Saim Sadiq, Joyland explores the many sides of love and desire in a patriarchal society. Gentle and timid, Haider (Ali Junejo) lives with his wife Mumtaz (Rasti Farooq), his father, and his elder brother’s family in Lahore, Pakistan. Following a long spell of unemployment, Haider finally lands a job at a Bollywood-style burlesque, telling his family he is a theater manager, when in actuality, he is a backup dancer. The unusual...
and Sania Saeed will soon be released in U.S. theaters beginning with New York on April 7, Los Angeles on April 21 plus more cities afterwards.
The debut feature from writer-director Saim Sadiq, Joyland explores the many sides of love and desire in a patriarchal society. Gentle and timid, Haider (Ali Junejo) lives with his wife Mumtaz (Rasti Farooq), his father, and his elder brother’s family in Lahore, Pakistan. Following a long spell of unemployment, Haider finally lands a job at a Bollywood-style burlesque, telling his family he is a theater manager, when in actuality, he is a backup dancer. The unusual...
- 3/10/2023
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
The director’s debut won the Cannes Jury prize, yet was denounced in his native Pakistan. He discusses masculinity, religious censorship and challenging the patriarchy
Saim Sadiq is at a cafe in London ahead of a screening of his debut film, Joyland. The film, which he co-wrote and directed, is a tender love story set in Lahore about an unemployed married man, Haider (Ali Junejo), who comes from a traditional family but takes a job as a backing dancer at an erotic dance theatre where he falls in love with a transgender woman called Biba (Alina Khan).
The film won the Jury prize at Cannes last May. It was the first Pakistani film to be screened at the festival; it has been praised by Riz Ahmed and Malala who both signed on as executive producers.
Saim Sadiq is at a cafe in London ahead of a screening of his debut film, Joyland. The film, which he co-wrote and directed, is a tender love story set in Lahore about an unemployed married man, Haider (Ali Junejo), who comes from a traditional family but takes a job as a backing dancer at an erotic dance theatre where he falls in love with a transgender woman called Biba (Alina Khan).
The film won the Jury prize at Cannes last May. It was the first Pakistani film to be screened at the festival; it has been praised by Riz Ahmed and Malala who both signed on as executive producers.
- 2/24/2023
- by Sarfraz Manzoor
- The Guardian - Film News
CAA has signed director Saim Sadiq, who helmed “Joyland,” Pakistan’s official entry for the 95th Academy Awards, for representation.
Sadiq was named one of Variety’s “10 Directors to Watch” for 2023 in recognition of the film, which marks his debut feature. “Joyland” made its world premiere at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival — becoming the first Pakistani film to debut at the fest — where it was awarded the Un Certain Regard jury prize and the Queer Palm. The film has also been nominated for best international film at the 2023 Independent Spirit Awards and made history as Pakistan’s first film to be shortlisted for best international feature film at the Academy Awards.
Written and directed by Sadiq, the film tells the story of Haider (Ali Junejo), who lives with his wife Mumtaz (Rasti Farooq), his father and his elder brother’s family in Lahore, Pakistan. After a long spell of unemployment, Haider...
Sadiq was named one of Variety’s “10 Directors to Watch” for 2023 in recognition of the film, which marks his debut feature. “Joyland” made its world premiere at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival — becoming the first Pakistani film to debut at the fest — where it was awarded the Un Certain Regard jury prize and the Queer Palm. The film has also been nominated for best international film at the 2023 Independent Spirit Awards and made history as Pakistan’s first film to be shortlisted for best international feature film at the Academy Awards.
Written and directed by Sadiq, the film tells the story of Haider (Ali Junejo), who lives with his wife Mumtaz (Rasti Farooq), his father and his elder brother’s family in Lahore, Pakistan. After a long spell of unemployment, Haider...
- 2/15/2023
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Joyland Trailer — Saim Sadiq‘s Joyland (2022) movie trailer has been released by Oscilloscope Labs. The Joyland trailer stars Ali Junejo, Alina Khan, Rasti Farooq, Sarwat Gilani, Salmaan Peerzada, Sameer Sohail, and Sania Saeed. Crew Saim Sadiq and Maggie Briggs wrote the screenplay for Joyland. “Produced by Apoorva Charan, Sarmad Khoosat, Lauren Mann, Kathryn M. Moseley, [...]
Continue reading: Joyland (2022) Movie Trailer: A Family’s Hope For a Male Heir is Thrown Array in Saim Sadiq’s Film...
Continue reading: Joyland (2022) Movie Trailer: A Family’s Hope For a Male Heir is Thrown Array in Saim Sadiq’s Film...
- 1/29/2023
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
"Have you ever dance in a theatre before?" One of the best festival discoveries from 2022 is this Pakistani film titled Joyland, marking the feature debut of filmmaker Saim Sadiq. It was submitted by Pakistan for the 95th Academy Awards, but unfortunately it didn't make the cut as one of the five nominated. Joyland first premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section, and it also just played at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival this month in their Spotlight section. "Take a first glimpse into the daring, soul searching film that delves deep into the challenging complexities of desire and gender identity through the lens of the Rana Family." The youngest son from a traditional Pakistani family takes a job as a backup dancer in a Bollywood-style burlesque theater, and he quickly becomes infatuated with the strong-willed trans woman, BIba, who runs the show. It stars Ali Junejo,...
- 1/27/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
No matter where in the world you live, and no matter what cultures you are surrounded with, there are a few emotions that are universally understood and felt. One of these universal emotions is more unspoken, and if they are discussed, they're kept in hushed whispers and closed doors. That feeling is repression, the regret of feeling something you shouldn't feel, even if you know it represents your true self.
Repression is at the core of "Joyland," Saim Sadiq's directorial debut, and Pakistan's controversial entry for the Oscars. It asks what were to happen if one fateful decision trickles down a traditional family unit, prompting their most hidden desires to come to light. That's exactly what happens when down-on-his-luck Haider (Ali Junejo) lands a well-paying job at an erotic dance house, serving as a background dancer to the intermission star, Biba (Alina Khan). As Haider begins earning money for his family,...
Repression is at the core of "Joyland," Saim Sadiq's directorial debut, and Pakistan's controversial entry for the Oscars. It asks what were to happen if one fateful decision trickles down a traditional family unit, prompting their most hidden desires to come to light. That's exactly what happens when down-on-his-luck Haider (Ali Junejo) lands a well-paying job at an erotic dance house, serving as a background dancer to the intermission star, Biba (Alina Khan). As Haider begins earning money for his family,...
- 1/21/2023
- by Erin Brady
- Slash Film
Indian actress Priyanka Chopra has praised Pakistan’s Oscar entry ‘Joyland’ calling it a “must watch” movie.
Priyanka took to Instagram Stories and shared a video of the film’s trailer. She wrote: “#Joyland is truly a joy to watch. Bravo to the entire team for bringing this story to life. It’s a must watch.”
She tagged the film’s makers, director, and some members of the cast as well in her post.
‘Joyland’, directed by debutante Saim Sadiq, tells the tale of a patriarchal family, craving for the birth of a boy to continue the family line. The family’s youngest son, the protagonist, secretly joins an erotic dance theatre and falls for a trans woman.
The film stars Sania Saeed, Ali Junejo, Alina Khan, Sarwat Gilani, Rasti Farooq, Salmaan Peerzada and Sohail Sameer. It was released in Pakistan in November after a short ban.
‘Joyland’ is currently...
Priyanka took to Instagram Stories and shared a video of the film’s trailer. She wrote: “#Joyland is truly a joy to watch. Bravo to the entire team for bringing this story to life. It’s a must watch.”
She tagged the film’s makers, director, and some members of the cast as well in her post.
‘Joyland’, directed by debutante Saim Sadiq, tells the tale of a patriarchal family, craving for the birth of a boy to continue the family line. The family’s youngest son, the protagonist, secretly joins an erotic dance theatre and falls for a trans woman.
The film stars Sania Saeed, Ali Junejo, Alina Khan, Sarwat Gilani, Rasti Farooq, Salmaan Peerzada and Sohail Sameer. It was released in Pakistan in November after a short ban.
‘Joyland’ is currently...
- 1/18/2023
- by News Bureau
- GlamSham
Priyanka Chopra is giving praise to Pakistan’s controversial film “Joyland”.
The film is slated for release in the U.S. later this year after a nearly-thwarted Oscar campaign for the film.
The actress promoted the film in her Instagram Stories.
She captioned the post, “#Joyland is truly a joy to watch.”
Read More: Award-Winning Pakistani LGBTQ Film ‘Joyland’ Will Get Theatrical Release
Priyanka Chopra – Photo: Instagram/@priyankachopra
“Bravo to the entire team for bringing this story to life. It’s a must watch,” she continued.
“Joyland” follows the story of the youngest son in a very traditional Pakistani family, who gets a job as a backup dancer in a Bollywood-style burlesque act, where he befriends the headstrong trans woman who runs it all.
The film is written and directed by Saim Sadiq, and stars Ali Junejo, Rasti Farooq and Alina Khan. It is also executive produced by Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai.
The film is slated for release in the U.S. later this year after a nearly-thwarted Oscar campaign for the film.
The actress promoted the film in her Instagram Stories.
She captioned the post, “#Joyland is truly a joy to watch.”
Read More: Award-Winning Pakistani LGBTQ Film ‘Joyland’ Will Get Theatrical Release
Priyanka Chopra – Photo: Instagram/@priyankachopra
“Bravo to the entire team for bringing this story to life. It’s a must watch,” she continued.
“Joyland” follows the story of the youngest son in a very traditional Pakistani family, who gets a job as a backup dancer in a Bollywood-style burlesque act, where he befriends the headstrong trans woman who runs it all.
The film is written and directed by Saim Sadiq, and stars Ali Junejo, Rasti Farooq and Alina Khan. It is also executive produced by Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai.
- 1/17/2023
- by Anita Tai
- ET Canada
UK distributor Studio Soho has debuted the new trailer for Saim Sadiq’s debut feature ‘Joyland‘, the first film by a Pakistani director to win at the Cannes Film Festival 2022.
The feature follows a patriarchal family as they yearn for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line, while their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theatre and falls for an ambitious trans starlet. Their impossible love story begins to illuminate the entire family’s desire for a sexual rebellion.
The film stars Ali Junejo, Alina Khan, Rasti Farooq, Sarwat Gilani, Sohail Sameer, Salman Peerzada, and Sania Saeed.
Also in trailers – Trailer drops for rom-com ‘Rye Lane’
The film will be released in UK cinemas on 24th February 2023.
The post Trailer drops for ‘Joyland’ appeared first on HeyUGuys.
The feature follows a patriarchal family as they yearn for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line, while their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theatre and falls for an ambitious trans starlet. Their impossible love story begins to illuminate the entire family’s desire for a sexual rebellion.
The film stars Ali Junejo, Alina Khan, Rasti Farooq, Sarwat Gilani, Sohail Sameer, Salman Peerzada, and Sania Saeed.
Also in trailers – Trailer drops for rom-com ‘Rye Lane’
The film will be released in UK cinemas on 24th February 2023.
The post Trailer drops for ‘Joyland’ appeared first on HeyUGuys.
- 1/17/2023
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Left Handed Films, the production company of Academy Award-winning producer and actor Riz Ahmed, has joined the Pakistani film “Joyland” as an executive producer.
Written and directed by Saim Sadiq, “Joyland” made its world premiere at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, where it was awarded the Un Certain Regard jury prize and the Queer Palm. The film has been nominated for best international film at the 2023 Independent Spirit Awards and was recently shortlisted for best international feature film at the 95th Academy Awards, as Pakistan’s official entry.
The film tells the story of Haider (Ali Junejo), who lives with his wife Mumtaz (Rasti Farooq), his father and his elder brother’s family in Lahore, Pakistan. After a long spell of unemployment, Haider lands a job working as a background dancer at a Bollywood-style burlesque — though he tells his family he’s the theater’s manager — and falls in love with...
Written and directed by Saim Sadiq, “Joyland” made its world premiere at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, where it was awarded the Un Certain Regard jury prize and the Queer Palm. The film has been nominated for best international film at the 2023 Independent Spirit Awards and was recently shortlisted for best international feature film at the 95th Academy Awards, as Pakistan’s official entry.
The film tells the story of Haider (Ali Junejo), who lives with his wife Mumtaz (Rasti Farooq), his father and his elder brother’s family in Lahore, Pakistan. After a long spell of unemployment, Haider lands a job working as a background dancer at a Bollywood-style burlesque — though he tells his family he’s the theater’s manager — and falls in love with...
- 1/12/2023
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
A boundary-breaking Pakistani film will be getting a wider audience.
On Friday, Deadline reported that the award-winning “Joyland”, a film with LGBTQ themes, will be receiving a theatrical release in the U.S.
Read More: Steven Spielberg’s ‘The Fabelmans’ Wins TIFF People’s Choice Award
Distributor Oscilloscope picked up the film, which had its debut at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won both a Jury Prize and the Queer Palm.
It also made history by becoming Pakistan’s first film to get on the Academy’s longest for Best International feature.
“Joyland” tells the story of the youngest son in a very traditional Pakistani family, who gets a job as a backup dancer in a Bollywood-style burlesque act, where he befriends the headstrong trans woman who runs it all.
Read More: Brendan Fraser Reunites With ‘Mummy’ Co-Star Michelle Yeoh During TIFF Tribute Awards
The film is written and directed by Saim Sadiq,...
On Friday, Deadline reported that the award-winning “Joyland”, a film with LGBTQ themes, will be receiving a theatrical release in the U.S.
Read More: Steven Spielberg’s ‘The Fabelmans’ Wins TIFF People’s Choice Award
Distributor Oscilloscope picked up the film, which had its debut at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won both a Jury Prize and the Queer Palm.
It also made history by becoming Pakistan’s first film to get on the Academy’s longest for Best International feature.
“Joyland” tells the story of the youngest son in a very traditional Pakistani family, who gets a job as a backup dancer in a Bollywood-style burlesque act, where he befriends the headstrong trans woman who runs it all.
Read More: Brendan Fraser Reunites With ‘Mummy’ Co-Star Michelle Yeoh During TIFF Tribute Awards
The film is written and directed by Saim Sadiq,...
- 1/7/2023
- by Corey Atad
- ET Canada
Exclusive: Trailblazing Pakistani movie Joyland has been picked up for U.S. distribution by Oscilloscope.
After becoming the first Pakistani movie to debut at Cannes, where it was awarded the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard category, and the Queer Palm, the film made more history by becoming Pakistan’s first film to make the Academy longlist for Best International Feature.
Written and directed by Saim Sadiq, and executive-produced by Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, Ramin Bahrani and Jemima Khan, the film charts the story of the youngest son in a traditional Pakistani family who takes a job as a backup dancer in a Bollywood-style burlesque. He quickly becomes infatuated with the strong-willed trans woman who runs the show. Starring are Ali Junejo, Rasti Farooq and Alina Khan.
Oscilloscope is planning a traditional theatrical release for the film later this year. WME Independent handled domestic rights and brokered the...
After becoming the first Pakistani movie to debut at Cannes, where it was awarded the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard category, and the Queer Palm, the film made more history by becoming Pakistan’s first film to make the Academy longlist for Best International Feature.
Written and directed by Saim Sadiq, and executive-produced by Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, Ramin Bahrani and Jemima Khan, the film charts the story of the youngest son in a traditional Pakistani family who takes a job as a backup dancer in a Bollywood-style burlesque. He quickly becomes infatuated with the strong-willed trans woman who runs the show. Starring are Ali Junejo, Rasti Farooq and Alina Khan.
Oscilloscope is planning a traditional theatrical release for the film later this year. WME Independent handled domestic rights and brokered the...
- 1/6/2023
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Pakistani filmmaker Saim Sadiq assumed that when he completed his debut feature, Joyland — which took him more than six years to develop, write, shoot and edit — his work on the project would essentially be done. He was, unfortunately, mistaken.
Joyland tells the story of the Ranas, a large family living in the heart of bustling Lahore. While the family yearns for the birth of a male grandson, the soft-spoken youngest son, who has a sweet but asexual relationship with a wife by arranged marriage, secretly takes up a job as a background dancer at an erotic theater, where he falls for a trans starlet. As their romance blossoms, strains emerge within the family, illuminating how each of them might be longing for a form of sexual rebellion of their own — outside the bounds of traditional patriarchy.
Joyland was selected by the Pakistani Academy...
Pakistani filmmaker Saim Sadiq assumed that when he completed his debut feature, Joyland — which took him more than six years to develop, write, shoot and edit — his work on the project would essentially be done. He was, unfortunately, mistaken.
Joyland tells the story of the Ranas, a large family living in the heart of bustling Lahore. While the family yearns for the birth of a male grandson, the soft-spoken youngest son, who has a sweet but asexual relationship with a wife by arranged marriage, secretly takes up a job as a background dancer at an erotic theater, where he falls for a trans starlet. As their romance blossoms, strains emerge within the family, illuminating how each of them might be longing for a form of sexual rebellion of their own — outside the bounds of traditional patriarchy.
Joyland was selected by the Pakistani Academy...
- 12/14/2022
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A version of this interview with “Joyland” director Saim Sadiq first appeared in the International Film issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.
First-time feature director Saim Sadiq’s tender, gritty, local-color-infused tale of Haider, an introverted married man (Ali Junejo) who falls in love with trans woman performer Biba (Alina Khan), was the first Pakistani film to ever premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize and the Queer Palme.
We spoke with Sadiq before Pakistan’s Ministry Of Information and Broadcasting banned “Joyland” for “highly objectionable material,” which would have prevented its domestic theatrical release and jeopardized its Oscar eligibility. The country’s censor board review committee did not uphold the ban and gave the film the green light for a theatrical release.
What is the film climate like in Pakistan?
Making an independent film is, as it is in America, very hard.
First-time feature director Saim Sadiq’s tender, gritty, local-color-infused tale of Haider, an introverted married man (Ali Junejo) who falls in love with trans woman performer Biba (Alina Khan), was the first Pakistani film to ever premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize and the Queer Palme.
We spoke with Sadiq before Pakistan’s Ministry Of Information and Broadcasting banned “Joyland” for “highly objectionable material,” which would have prevented its domestic theatrical release and jeopardized its Oscar eligibility. The country’s censor board review committee did not uphold the ban and gave the film the green light for a theatrical release.
What is the film climate like in Pakistan?
Making an independent film is, as it is in America, very hard.
- 12/7/2022
- by Jason Clark
- The Wrap
At a certain point last month, someone in London or Los Angeles could listen to Arooj Aftab’s music in their AirPods, tuck Taymour Soomro’s debut novel “Other Names for Love” into their bag and head out to a screening of Saim Sadiq’s film “Joyland,” where outside the theater they would pass a movie poster featuring a painting by Salman Toor.
2022 proved to be a banner year for Pakistani artists. Aftab delivered the country’s first Grammy award, winning for best global music performance. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy directed episodes of “Ms. Marvel,” the critically-acclaimed Disney+ series featuring the first Muslim superhero in the Marvel universe. Novels like Soomro’s “Other Names for Love” and Mohsin Hamid’s “The Last White Man” won praise from critics. Toor became an art-world star with an exhibition at the Whitney Museum and paintings selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Debut writer and...
2022 proved to be a banner year for Pakistani artists. Aftab delivered the country’s first Grammy award, winning for best global music performance. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy directed episodes of “Ms. Marvel,” the critically-acclaimed Disney+ series featuring the first Muslim superhero in the Marvel universe. Novels like Soomro’s “Other Names for Love” and Mohsin Hamid’s “The Last White Man” won praise from critics. Toor became an art-world star with an exhibition at the Whitney Museum and paintings selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Debut writer and...
- 11/16/2022
- by Malala Yousafzai
- Variety Film + TV
Pakistan’s ‘Joyland’ could still qualify for the upcoming Academy Awards for best international feature, despite being banned in its native country, which was announced on November 12.
The government of Pakistan banned Saim Sadiq’s Oscar contender for containing ‘highly objectionable’ material.
An order dated November 11 from Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting reads that the country’s censor board granted a censor certificate to the film on August 17, but has since reversed the decision, ‘Variety’ said.
Nonetheless, the awards strategists working on ‘Joyland’ tell ‘Variety’ they plan to give the film its required seven-day theatrical run in France by November 30, which is the qualifying release date cutoff for the Oscars’ international feature category.
The official Academy rules state: In order for films to more easily meet theatrical exhibition requirements, the Academy will allow films to qualify outside the country of origin, provided the film is theatrically exhibited outside...
The government of Pakistan banned Saim Sadiq’s Oscar contender for containing ‘highly objectionable’ material.
An order dated November 11 from Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting reads that the country’s censor board granted a censor certificate to the film on August 17, but has since reversed the decision, ‘Variety’ said.
Nonetheless, the awards strategists working on ‘Joyland’ tell ‘Variety’ they plan to give the film its required seven-day theatrical run in France by November 30, which is the qualifying release date cutoff for the Oscars’ international feature category.
The official Academy rules state: In order for films to more easily meet theatrical exhibition requirements, the Academy will allow films to qualify outside the country of origin, provided the film is theatrically exhibited outside...
- 11/15/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
Despite being banned in its home country, the Cannes hit "Joyland" will still be eligible to represent Pakistan at the 95th Academy Awards. Variety confirmed in a report that the November 11th ban from the country's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting does not mean Saim Sadiq's feature debut is being revoked from consideration, thanks to some important loopholes. In order for a movie to qualify for the Best International Feature Film, it must screen for a minimum of seven days in a European country by the end of November, which its campaign managers told Variety it intends to do.
You might be wondering how a movie poised to be Pakistan's entry for the Oscars can still maintain that standing in the event that it gets banned, and that's understandable. However, "Joyland" still remains Pakistan's official entry because it was originally granted permission to screen in the country in August...
You might be wondering how a movie poised to be Pakistan's entry for the Oscars can still maintain that standing in the event that it gets banned, and that's understandable. However, "Joyland" still remains Pakistan's official entry because it was originally granted permission to screen in the country in August...
- 11/14/2022
- by Erin Brady
- Slash Film
Pakistan’s “Joyland” could still qualify for the upcoming Academy Awards for best international feature, despite being banned in its native country, which was announced on Nov. 12.
The government of Pakistan banned Saim Sadiq’s Oscar contender — which is Pakistan’s Oscar entry —for containing “highly objectionable” material. An order dated Nov. 11 from Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting reads that the country’s censor board granted a censor certificate to the film on Aug. 17, but has since reversed the decision.
Nonetheless, the awards strategists working on “Joyland” tell Variety they plan to give the film its required seven-day theatrical run in France by Nov. 30, which is the qualifying release date cutoff for the Oscars’ international feature category.
The official Academy rules state: In order for films to more easily meet theatrical exhibition requirements, the Academy will allow films to qualify outside the country of origin, provided the film...
The government of Pakistan banned Saim Sadiq’s Oscar contender — which is Pakistan’s Oscar entry —for containing “highly objectionable” material. An order dated Nov. 11 from Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting reads that the country’s censor board granted a censor certificate to the film on Aug. 17, but has since reversed the decision.
Nonetheless, the awards strategists working on “Joyland” tell Variety they plan to give the film its required seven-day theatrical run in France by Nov. 30, which is the qualifying release date cutoff for the Oscars’ international feature category.
The official Academy rules state: In order for films to more easily meet theatrical exhibition requirements, the Academy will allow films to qualify outside the country of origin, provided the film...
- 11/14/2022
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Activist and Nobel Peace Laureate Malala Yousafzai has joined Pakistani film “Joyland’s” team as Executive Producer, a Variety report stated. “Joyland,” directed by Saim Sadiq, is Pakistan’s official submission in the foreign language film category at the Oscars. Yousafzai is backing the film through her own production company, Extracurricular Productions.
“I am incredibly proud to support a film that proves Pakistani artists are among the best in global cinema. “Joyland” invites us to open our eyes to the people closest to us — to see our family members and friends as they are, not colored by our own expectations or societal bias,” Yousafzai said.
Read More: Malala Yousafzai Talks Social Media Activism, Politics And More In ‘British Vogue’
“Joyland” premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May this year, where it picked two awards — Un Certain Regard Jury Prize and Queer Palm. “Joyland” is conquering the international film circuits...
“I am incredibly proud to support a film that proves Pakistani artists are among the best in global cinema. “Joyland” invites us to open our eyes to the people closest to us — to see our family members and friends as they are, not colored by our own expectations or societal bias,” Yousafzai said.
Read More: Malala Yousafzai Talks Social Media Activism, Politics And More In ‘British Vogue’
“Joyland” premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May this year, where it picked two awards — Un Certain Regard Jury Prize and Queer Palm. “Joyland” is conquering the international film circuits...
- 10/5/2022
- by Divya Goyal
- ET Canada
Female education activist Malala Yousafzai, who heads her own film and TV production company, Extracurricular Productions, is joining “Joyland”, Pakistan’s Oscar submission in the international feature category, as an executive producer, reports ‘Variety’.
The film had its world premiere at Cannes earlier this year where it won the Queer Palm and the jury prize at the festival’s Un Certain Regard strand. It subsequently had its North American premiere at Toronto.
According to ‘Variety’, the film is currently playing at both the BFI London Film Festival, where it is competing for the Sutherland Award, which recognises the most original and imaginative directorial debut, and the Busan International Film Festival, where it is in the A Window on Asian Cinema strand.
The tale of sexual revolt sees a patriarchal family yearn for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line, while their youngest son secretly joins an...
The film had its world premiere at Cannes earlier this year where it won the Queer Palm and the jury prize at the festival’s Un Certain Regard strand. It subsequently had its North American premiere at Toronto.
According to ‘Variety’, the film is currently playing at both the BFI London Film Festival, where it is competing for the Sutherland Award, which recognises the most original and imaginative directorial debut, and the Busan International Film Festival, where it is in the A Window on Asian Cinema strand.
The tale of sexual revolt sees a patriarchal family yearn for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line, while their youngest son secretly joins an...
- 10/5/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
Malala Yousafzai, who heads her own film and TV production company, Extracurricular Productions, is joining “Joyland,” Pakistan’s Oscar submission in the international feature category, as an executive producer.
The film had its world premiere at Cannes earlier this year where it won the jury prize at the festival’s Un Certain Regard strand. It subsequently had its North American premiere at Toronto.
It is currently playing at both the BFI London Film Festival, where it is competing for the Sutherland Award, which recognizes the most original and imaginative directorial debut, and the Busan International Film Festival, where it is in the A Window on Asian Cinema strand.
The tale of sexual revolt sees a patriarchal family yearn for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line, while their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theater and falls for an ambitious transsexual starlet.
Yousafzai said: “I...
The film had its world premiere at Cannes earlier this year where it won the jury prize at the festival’s Un Certain Regard strand. It subsequently had its North American premiere at Toronto.
It is currently playing at both the BFI London Film Festival, where it is competing for the Sutherland Award, which recognizes the most original and imaginative directorial debut, and the Busan International Film Festival, where it is in the A Window on Asian Cinema strand.
The tale of sexual revolt sees a patriarchal family yearn for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line, while their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theater and falls for an ambitious transsexual starlet.
Yousafzai said: “I...
- 10/5/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Sadiq’s debut feature was the first ever Pakistani film to premiere at Cannes.
Pakistan has selected Saim Sadiq’s Joyland as its submission for best international feature at the Oscars 2023.
Sadiq’s debut feature follows a married man who joins an exotic dance troupe and falls in love with the lead dancer, a trans woman. The cast comprises Ali Junejo, Alina Khan, Rasti Farooq, Sarwat Gilani, Sohail Sameer, Salman Peerzada, and Sania Saeed.
‘Joyland’: Cannes review
Joyland world premiered at Cannes in Un Certain Regard as the festival’s first ever Pakistani film, and went on to win...
Pakistan has selected Saim Sadiq’s Joyland as its submission for best international feature at the Oscars 2023.
Sadiq’s debut feature follows a married man who joins an exotic dance troupe and falls in love with the lead dancer, a trans woman. The cast comprises Ali Junejo, Alina Khan, Rasti Farooq, Sarwat Gilani, Sohail Sameer, Salman Peerzada, and Sania Saeed.
‘Joyland’: Cannes review
Joyland world premiered at Cannes in Un Certain Regard as the festival’s first ever Pakistani film, and went on to win...
- 9/30/2022
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
Another example of a tasteful but passionless festival film, Saim Sadiq’s feature debut Joyland errs on the side of arch family drama when its most interesting aspects remain almost in the periphery, promising a much better film. Simply put, what seemed like a modern iteration of Josef von Sternberg’s The Blue Angel should have a little more spice, though sadly such comparison might just be the exact projection a critic makes when frankly bored by a film.
In this modern melodrama we find, residing in the Pakistani city of Lahore, the Rana family, who (while dysfunctional) remain a tight unit. But the most problems arise with our lead, the son Haider (Ali Junejo), who can’t stop getting himself into trouble. Early on, asked to kill a goat to prove his place as a man by his quietly intimidating, wheelchair-bound father (Salmaan Peerzada), he falters and his wife...
In this modern melodrama we find, residing in the Pakistani city of Lahore, the Rana family, who (while dysfunctional) remain a tight unit. But the most problems arise with our lead, the son Haider (Ali Junejo), who can’t stop getting himself into trouble. Early on, asked to kill a goat to prove his place as a man by his quietly intimidating, wheelchair-bound father (Salmaan Peerzada), he falters and his wife...
- 9/20/2022
- by Ethan Vestby
- The Film Stage
While the fall festivals continue to launch several high-profile Oscar hopefuls from the U.S., many international contenders are at the mercy of their countries. The Academy requires films to be submitted for the Best International Feature Film category by October 3, but outside of requiring a theatrical release and that the language is at least 50 non-English, the countries can make their own decisions. For some countries known for censoring artists, such as Russia and Iran, that means films critical of their governments or societies don’t stand a chance at making the cut.
Yet this year, several films about sexuality and queerness from the Middle East are on the cusp of overcoming legal and cultural barriers to become their country’s submissions, and they’re all traveling to the Toronto International Film Festival this week. In the past, films with LGBTQ characters in countries that outlaw homosexuality have faced a tough road in Oscar season,...
Yet this year, several films about sexuality and queerness from the Middle East are on the cusp of overcoming legal and cultural barriers to become their country’s submissions, and they’re all traveling to the Toronto International Film Festival this week. In the past, films with LGBTQ characters in countries that outlaw homosexuality have faced a tough road in Oscar season,...
- 9/8/2022
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Saim Sadiq’s debut feature was the first film by a Pakistani director to be selected for Cannes.
UK-based Studio Soho has acquired UK and Ireland rights to Cannes 2022 Un Certain Regard jury prize winner Joyland from Film Constellation.
Saim Sadiq’s debut feature was the first film by a Pakistani director to be selected for Cannes and also won the festival’s Queer Palme award.
It follows a patriarchal family as they yearn for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line, while their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theatre and falls for an ambitious trans starlet.
UK-based Studio Soho has acquired UK and Ireland rights to Cannes 2022 Un Certain Regard jury prize winner Joyland from Film Constellation.
Saim Sadiq’s debut feature was the first film by a Pakistani director to be selected for Cannes and also won the festival’s Queer Palme award.
It follows a patriarchal family as they yearn for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line, while their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theatre and falls for an ambitious trans starlet.
- 9/8/2022
- by Orlando Parfitt
- ScreenDaily
Saim Sadiq’s debut feature was the first film by a Pakistani director to be selected for Cannes.
UK-based Studio Soho has acquired UK and Ireland rights to Cannes 2022 Un Certain Regard jury prize winner Joyland from Film Constellation.
Saim Sadiq’s debut feature was the first film by a Pakistani director to be selected for Cannes and also won the festival’s Queer Palme award.
It follows a patriarchal family as they yearn for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line, while their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theatre and falls for an ambitious trans starlet.
UK-based Studio Soho has acquired UK and Ireland rights to Cannes 2022 Un Certain Regard jury prize winner Joyland from Film Constellation.
Saim Sadiq’s debut feature was the first film by a Pakistani director to be selected for Cannes and also won the festival’s Queer Palme award.
It follows a patriarchal family as they yearn for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line, while their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theatre and falls for an ambitious trans starlet.
- 9/8/2022
- by Orlando Parfitt
- ScreenDaily
The Trans Film Mentorship has announced that its first Trans Filmmakers Summit will take place at the Toronto Film Festival on September 11th. The summit will be held at 2 p.m. Et, following the Inside Out TIFF Queer Brunch on Malaparte’s Rooftop at TIFF Bell Lightbox.
An afternoon to reimagine trans storytelling as an opportunity for community-building and nurturing emerging trans talent, The Trans Filmmakers Summit is open to all trans and non-binary creators, industry partners and allies as a way to discover and celebrate trans barrier-breakers. It will open with an address from the Trans Film Mentorship team, who will honor the trans films and talent at the 2022 Toronto Film Festival. Bilal Baig (Sort Of), Lucah Rosenberg-Lee (Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story) and Luis De Filippis (Something You Said Last Night) will then participate in a Trans Creators Panel, followed by a Trans Actors Panel with...
An afternoon to reimagine trans storytelling as an opportunity for community-building and nurturing emerging trans talent, The Trans Filmmakers Summit is open to all trans and non-binary creators, industry partners and allies as a way to discover and celebrate trans barrier-breakers. It will open with an address from the Trans Film Mentorship team, who will honor the trans films and talent at the 2022 Toronto Film Festival. Bilal Baig (Sort Of), Lucah Rosenberg-Lee (Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story) and Luis De Filippis (Something You Said Last Night) will then participate in a Trans Creators Panel, followed by a Trans Actors Panel with...
- 9/7/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Event runs September 11 on TIFF Lightbox rooftop after Inside Out TIFF Queer Brunch.
Trans Film Mentorship will stage its first trans summit at TIFF on September 11 featuring trans actors and creators of films and shows at this year’s festival.
The organisation, which runs career development programming for trans and non-binary people to increase the presence of trans filmmakers, key creatives, and crew on set, will kick off with an opening address honouring trans film and talent at the festival.
Panels will address building the trans community on set with Sort Of co-creator Bilal Baig, Any Other Way: The Jackie...
Trans Film Mentorship will stage its first trans summit at TIFF on September 11 featuring trans actors and creators of films and shows at this year’s festival.
The organisation, which runs career development programming for trans and non-binary people to increase the presence of trans filmmakers, key creatives, and crew on set, will kick off with an opening address honouring trans film and talent at the festival.
Panels will address building the trans community on set with Sort Of co-creator Bilal Baig, Any Other Way: The Jackie...
- 9/7/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Discouraged identities and taboo desires emerge tentatively into the open in “Joyland,” but unlike in a many a coming-out drama, there’s no identified villain or oppressor — just an uncertain world in its own state of societal and generational transition. Pakistani writer-director Saim Sadiq’s confident, expressive debut feature is conscientiously fair to everyone in its Lahore-set domestic melodrama of secrets, lies and unforeseen self-discovery, but never feels like it’s hedging its bets or shying away from harder truths. Tartly funny and plungingly sad in equal measure, this is nuanced, humane queer filmmaking, more concerned with the textures and particulars of its own intimate story than with grander social statements — even if, as a tale of transgender desire in a Muslim country, its very premise makes it a boundary-breaker.
As the first Pakistani production ever to unspool in the Cannes official selection, “Joyland” entered the festival as something of a milestone,...
As the first Pakistani production ever to unspool in the Cannes official selection, “Joyland” entered the festival as something of a milestone,...
- 6/10/2022
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
The first ever Pakistani film selected to screen in Cannes draws its title from the eponymous amusement park in Lahore, a place that offers refuge to people who seek acceptance, or brief moments of joy.
“Joyland” screened at Cannes Film Festival
Saim Sadiq returns to the topic of sexual identity and patriarchal structures that strongly dominate his homeland, and to the milieu of the erotic dance theatre he has already explored in his wonderfully accomplished short “Darling”, which won the Orizzonti Competition in Venice 2019. Starring Ali Junejo as Haider, a young man living according to tradition, dancing to the tunes of his father and his hoarse older brother Saleem (Sohail Sameer), “Joyland” speaks of repressed desires of both sexes, strongly divided gender roles, and a never ending chain of compromises someone who doesn’t fit into such image has to make.
Haider lives in an arranged marriage with Mumtaz (Rasti Farooq). She is a strong-willed,...
“Joyland” screened at Cannes Film Festival
Saim Sadiq returns to the topic of sexual identity and patriarchal structures that strongly dominate his homeland, and to the milieu of the erotic dance theatre he has already explored in his wonderfully accomplished short “Darling”, which won the Orizzonti Competition in Venice 2019. Starring Ali Junejo as Haider, a young man living according to tradition, dancing to the tunes of his father and his hoarse older brother Saleem (Sohail Sameer), “Joyland” speaks of repressed desires of both sexes, strongly divided gender roles, and a never ending chain of compromises someone who doesn’t fit into such image has to make.
Haider lives in an arranged marriage with Mumtaz (Rasti Farooq). She is a strong-willed,...
- 5/26/2022
- by Marina D. Richter
- AsianMoviePulse
The first Pakistani film to premiere at Cannes, Saim Sadiq’s Un Certain Regard selection “Joyland” rides a fine line between sweet and foreboding right from its opening shot, in which an unseen adult man waltzes mischievously with his nieces while shrouded in a bedsheet. His life, and his liveliness, are carefully concealed; he exists as if between the worlds of the living and the dead.
This is Haider Rana (Ali Junejo), a soft-spoken husband to an outspoken wife. The film revolves around him and uses him as its magnifying glass to zero in on social rigidities — gender and sexuality in particular — and the quiet, often painful ways in which they manifest.
“Joyland” is, on one hand, a kind film. It paints even Haider’s quietest moments in bright, living colors. He and his wife Mumtaz (Rasti Farooq) — to whom he was betrothed before they met — have a playful, personable understanding of each other,...
This is Haider Rana (Ali Junejo), a soft-spoken husband to an outspoken wife. The film revolves around him and uses him as its magnifying glass to zero in on social rigidities — gender and sexuality in particular — and the quiet, often painful ways in which they manifest.
“Joyland” is, on one hand, a kind film. It paints even Haider’s quietest moments in bright, living colors. He and his wife Mumtaz (Rasti Farooq) — to whom he was betrothed before they met — have a playful, personable understanding of each other,...
- 5/23/2022
- by Siddhant Adlakha
- Indiewire
Saim Sadiq’s feature debut, “Joyland,” returns to the world of erotic theater that he explored in his 2019 Venice and SXSW winner “Darling.”
“Joyland” will premiere at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard strand. The title, the first Pakistani film to be selected in Cannes, will vie for the Caméra d’Or.
The tale of sexual revolution sees a patriarchal family yearn for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line, while their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theater and falls for an ambitious transsexual starlet.
Sadiq drew inspiration from his own family and a theater close to his home in Lahore. “I came from a very morally upright, middle-class conservative family, and to find out that this other world exists, literally like a 10-minute drive from my house, that I never knew of. It’s so different, the world of the theater, where sexuality is not...
“Joyland” will premiere at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard strand. The title, the first Pakistani film to be selected in Cannes, will vie for the Caméra d’Or.
The tale of sexual revolution sees a patriarchal family yearn for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line, while their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theater and falls for an ambitious transsexual starlet.
Sadiq drew inspiration from his own family and a theater close to his home in Lahore. “I came from a very morally upright, middle-class conservative family, and to find out that this other world exists, literally like a 10-minute drive from my house, that I never knew of. It’s so different, the world of the theater, where sexuality is not...
- 5/22/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Condor has picked up French rights to Saim Sadiq’s drama “Joyland” ahead of its world premiere in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard. The title, the first Pakistani film to be selected in Cannes, will vie for the Caméra d’Or.
Film Constellation is representing international sales rights. WME Independent is representing North American rights.
Sadiq’s debut feature centers on the extended patriarchal Ranas family, who yearn for the birth of another boy. Meanwhile, their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theater and falls for an ambitious trans starlet. Their impossible love story slowly illuminates the entire Rana family’s desire for a sexual rebellion.
Condor’s slate also includes Joanna Hogg’s “The Souvenir Part I & II,” Kelly Reichardt’s “First Cow,” Paul Schrader’s “The Card Counter,” Kogonada’s “After Yang,” and Sundance 2022 Grand Jury Prize winner “Utama” by Alejandro Loayza Grisi.
Condor’s Alexis Mas said:...
Film Constellation is representing international sales rights. WME Independent is representing North American rights.
Sadiq’s debut feature centers on the extended patriarchal Ranas family, who yearn for the birth of another boy. Meanwhile, their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theater and falls for an ambitious trans starlet. Their impossible love story slowly illuminates the entire Rana family’s desire for a sexual rebellion.
Condor’s slate also includes Joanna Hogg’s “The Souvenir Part I & II,” Kelly Reichardt’s “First Cow,” Paul Schrader’s “The Card Counter,” Kogonada’s “After Yang,” and Sundance 2022 Grand Jury Prize winner “Utama” by Alejandro Loayza Grisi.
Condor’s Alexis Mas said:...
- 5/11/2022
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Film Constellation, a U.K- and France-based sales firm, has been appointed to handle international rights for “Joyland,” which is set to be the first Pakistan-made film in Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival. Sales duties will be shared with WME Independent, which is is representing North American rights.
The tale of sexual revolution sees a happily patriarchal joint family yearn for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line, while their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theatre and falls for an ambitious transsexual starlet.
The film is the feature debut of writer and director Saim Sadiq, whose previous short film “Darling” won the Orizzonti Best Short Film award at the 2019 Venice Film Festival and was acquired for worldwide distribution by Focus Features.
The film stars Ali Junejo, Alina Khan, Rasti Farooq, Sarwat Gilani, Sohail Sameer, Salman Peerzada, and Sania Saeed. Cinematography is by Joe Saade.
The tale of sexual revolution sees a happily patriarchal joint family yearn for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line, while their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theatre and falls for an ambitious transsexual starlet.
The film is the feature debut of writer and director Saim Sadiq, whose previous short film “Darling” won the Orizzonti Best Short Film award at the 2019 Venice Film Festival and was acquired for worldwide distribution by Focus Features.
The film stars Ali Junejo, Alina Khan, Rasti Farooq, Sarwat Gilani, Sohail Sameer, Salman Peerzada, and Sania Saeed. Cinematography is by Joe Saade.
- 4/22/2022
- by Patrick Frater and Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Saim Sadiq’s feature will play in Un Certain Regard.
London and Paris-based sales outfit Film Constellation has boarded international sales on Pakistani filmmaker Saim Sadiq’s Cannes Un Certain Regard title, Joyland. WME Independent is representing North American rights.
Sadiq’s debut feature is the first film by a Pakistani director to be selected for Cannes.
It is produced by the US’s All Caps and Pakistan’s Khoosat Films in association with Diversity Hire, One Two Twenty Entertainment, Blood Moon Creative, Film Manufacturers Inc., Astrakan Ab, and Noruz Films. The producers are Apoorva Guru Charan, Sarmad Sultan Khoosat and Lauren Mann.
London and Paris-based sales outfit Film Constellation has boarded international sales on Pakistani filmmaker Saim Sadiq’s Cannes Un Certain Regard title, Joyland. WME Independent is representing North American rights.
Sadiq’s debut feature is the first film by a Pakistani director to be selected for Cannes.
It is produced by the US’s All Caps and Pakistan’s Khoosat Films in association with Diversity Hire, One Two Twenty Entertainment, Blood Moon Creative, Film Manufacturers Inc., Astrakan Ab, and Noruz Films. The producers are Apoorva Guru Charan, Sarmad Sultan Khoosat and Lauren Mann.
- 4/21/2022
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Saim Sadiq’s feature will play in Un Certain Regard.
London and Paris-based sales outfit Film Constellation has boarded international sales on Pakistani filmmaker Saim Sadiq’s Cannes Un Certain Regard title, Joyland. WME Independent is representing North American rights.
Sadiq’s debut feature is the first film by a Pakistani director to be selected for Cannes.
It is produced by the US’s All Caps and Pakistan’s Khoosat Films in association with Diversity Hire, One Two Twenty Entertainment, Blood Moon Creative, Film Manufacturers, Astrakan Ab, and Noruz Films. The producers are Apoorva Guru Charan, Sarmad Sultan Khoosat and Lauren Mann.
London and Paris-based sales outfit Film Constellation has boarded international sales on Pakistani filmmaker Saim Sadiq’s Cannes Un Certain Regard title, Joyland. WME Independent is representing North American rights.
Sadiq’s debut feature is the first film by a Pakistani director to be selected for Cannes.
It is produced by the US’s All Caps and Pakistan’s Khoosat Films in association with Diversity Hire, One Two Twenty Entertainment, Blood Moon Creative, Film Manufacturers, Astrakan Ab, and Noruz Films. The producers are Apoorva Guru Charan, Sarmad Sultan Khoosat and Lauren Mann.
- 4/21/2022
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
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