The Pakistani government banned its Oscar contender Joyland after an Islamic group highly criticized it.
The Pakistani government had slated Joyland for local distribution this week as the country’s official Oscar entry for Best International Feature Picture. Saim Sadiq directed the film.
The film had received rave reviews on the festival circuit for its sensible and critical portrayal of Pkaist’s patriarchal society. It made history as the first Pakistani film selected for the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the prestigious jury prize.
Malala Yousafzai, the Nobel Prize-winning Pakistani activist who served as an executive producer on the project , expressed her excitement, calling it “such a moment of joy.” She added , “The themes in this movie resonated with people all around the world.”
Storyline of the movie
The critically acclaimed Pakistani film Joyland tells the story of Haider, a young man from a strict family in Lahore. He and his wife, Mumtaz, who is eager to have children, find themselves in a loveless marriage.
Haider, who secretly yearns for a more exciting existence, eventually finds employment at a theater where he meets Biba, a transgender dancer and performer.
Haider struggles with his feelings, social expectations, and the intricacies of his own identity as his relationship with Biba grows. The film explores gender, sexuality, and Pakistani society’s rigid structures through the protagonists’ personal experiences of oppression and patriarchy.
Critics praised Joyland for portraying the fight for freedom in a conservative country and its compassionate treatment of LGBTQ+ issues.
Pakistan’s censor board approved the film, but the government reversed the decision after a campaign by religious hardliners and Jamaat-e-Islami.
Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan accused the film of promoting homosexuality and violating “Pakistani values.”
Joyland: The movie did not align with the moral standards of society
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting received complaints over the weekend, calling Joyland “repugnant” and against the country’s social and moral standards.
The ban on Joyland prevents its release in Pakistan because it hasn’t been certified for screening. The ban risks Joyland’s Oscar chances, as the film must be shown in its home country for entry.
Pakistan, a strict Islamic republic, has a history of banning films and cultural content that challenge religious or societal norms.
Earlier this year, censors banned the Pakistani film I’ll Meet You There for allegedly portraying a negative view of Muslims.
Hollywood films like The Da Vinci Code have also faced bans from government censors for similar reasons.
In previous interviews, director Saim Sadiq has expressed concerns about releasing Joyland in Pakistan. Speaking to Variety, he shared his hope that the film would offer a fresh, non-western perspective on trans issues. “This film does introduce a new leaf in terms of the conversation around that, because it’s just refreshing to see a very empowered trans character who happens to be brown and Muslim and in a country like Pakistan,” he said.
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