Saim Sadiq’s Joyland has been on a rollercoaster ride. From standing ovations to local bans, the Pakistani Oscar-shortlisted film has been the subject of both scrutiny and strength. After securing multiple coveted awards, Joyland is back to add another feather to its cap.
For starters, Joyland won a jury prize in the “Un Certain Regard” competition at the 75th Cannes Film Festival in France last year; a category that focuses on artistically daring movies. Sadiq’s brainchild was also the first-ever Pakistani movie that was nominated at Cannes beating 13 other nominated movies.
The critically-acclaimed film recently won the “Best International Film” award at 2023 Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday, Variety reported, beating Marie Kreutzer’s Corsage, Martika Ramirez Escobar’s Leonor Will Never Die, Davy Chou’s Return to Seoul, and Alice Diop’s Saint Omer.
The Independent Spirit Awards are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers.
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The cinematic masterpiece by Sadiq highlights the plight of the marginalized and underprivileged group in Pakistan; the transgender community. Defying all conventional tropes, Joyland featured a trans woman in the lead role. Though the film seems to be progressive, it was banned by the Censor Board of Pakistan over “highly objectionable material.”
The film features Sarwat Gilani, Sania Saeed, Ali Junejo, Alina Khan, Rasti Farooq, and others.
