Joyland
April 21 - 27, 2023
The youngest son in a traditional Pakistani family takes a job as a backup dancer in a Bollywood-style burlesque, and he quickly becomes infatuated with the strong-willed trans woman who runs the show. Cannes 2022 Un Certain Regard: Jury Prize.
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 position shakes up the steadfast traditional dynamics of his household and enables Haider to break out of his shell. As he acclimates to the new job, Haider becomes infatuated with the strong-willed trans woman Biba (Alina Khan) who runs the show—an unforeseen partnership that opens his eyes and ultimately his worldview, in ways both unexpected and intimate.
- Director: Saim Sadiq
- Principal Cast: Ali Junejo, Rasti Farooq, Alina Khan, Sarwat Gilani, Sohail Sameer, Salmaan Peerzada, Sania Saeed
- Country: Pakistan
- Year: 2022
- Running Time: 127 min.
- Producer: Apoorva Guru Charan, Sarmad Sultan Khoosat, Sabiha Sumar, Lauren Mann, Kathryn M. Moseley, Oliver Ridge, April Shih, Katharina Otto-Bernstein
- Screenplay: Saim Sadiq
- Cinematographers: Joe Saade
- Editors: Saim Sadiq, Jasmin Tenucci
- Awards: Cannes Film Festival 2022 (Un Certain Regard: Jury Prize), Official Academy Awards Submission 2023 (International Feature)
- Filmography: Debut Feature Film
- Language: Urdu, Punjabi
- Has Subtitles: Yes
- US Distributor: Oscilloscope
- International Sales: WME