Saim Sadiq's Joyland secures Best International Film nomination

The iconic Pakistani film which received a standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival is on its way to bag yet another coveted award.

Joyland, directed by Saim Sadiq has been nominated by The Independent Spirit Awards in the category of Best International Film. This achievement sets a precedent for upcoming Pakistani filmmakers. The Independent Spirit Awards will be held on March 4, 2023, in California, US.

Joyland will be in competition with Marie Kreutzer’s Corsage, Martika Ramirez Escobar’s Leonor Will Never Die, Davy Chou’s Return to Seoul, and Alice Diop’s Saint Omer.

For those unversed, Sadiq’s directorial began its journal with a Cannes entry bagging the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard category, then securing the Best Film award at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, and finally landed itself as Pakistan’s official submission for the Oscars.

Most recently, Joyland was the subject of controversy in its homeland on the basis of ‘objectionable’ content. The film was initially banned by the Central Board of Film Censors but was eventually unbanned by a committee formed by the Pakistani prime minister. However, the government of Punjab has not allowed the film to be screened.

The film boasts an ensemble cast of Sarwat Gilani, Sarmad Khoosat, Sania Saeed, Alina Khan, Sana Jafri, and Ali Junejo.