Joyland (Film)
‘Joyland’ was such a joy to watch.
It’s the first Pakistani feature film (in 75 years) to be shown at Cannes, and what a film it is. It took director Saim Sadiq seven years to bring this film to the big screen. A married man (excellently played by Ali Junejo) falls for a trans-woman (Alina Khan – a real find) who hires him to be a backup dancer in her erotic show. Meanwhile he’s got an expectant wife at home who suspects her husband is not the man he says he is. Controversial subject matter for a Pakistani film where homosexuality is still illegal. Kudos to the cast and crew for pulling this superb film off. Shot in Lahore, Pakistan, the filming was done in secret due to the subject matter, and believe it or not it was shot in October 2021 and was ready in time for Cannes. The shooting took 40 days, and lead actor Junejo was working 39 of those days. The film asks a real important question for all of us, who are we?
Director Sadiq said at the premiere in Cannes that the film no longer belongs to him, now it belongs to all of you.
‘Joyland’ film is the feature debut of writer and director Sadiq, whose previous short film “Darling” won the Orizzonti Best Short Film award at the 2019 Venice Film Festival.
‘Joyland’ won the Un Certain Regard prize at the festival, along with the Queer Palm Award.
The film also stars Rasti Farooq, Sarwat Gilani, Salmaan Peerzada and Sania Saeed.
