ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a committee to review the ban on the country’s Oscar entry, the movie “Joyland,” days after its clearance for cinema release was revoked, a notification by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Tuesday.
Joyland celebrates “transgender culture” in Pakistan and the story revolves around a family torn between modernity and tradition in contemporary Lahore. The film has won the Cannes “Queer Palm” prize for the best feminist-themed movie as well as the Jury Prize in the “Un Certain Regard” competition, a segment focusing on young, innovative cinema talent. It is Pakistan’s entry for next year’s Academy Awards.
The Pakistani Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC) issued the film a clearance certificate for release in August. But last week the information ministry declared Joyland “repugnant to the norms of decency and morality” and ruled that it was an “uncertified film” for release in cinemas.
This image released by Khoosat Films shows a scene from the film "Joyland." (Photo courtesy: Khoosat Films via AP)
It was not immediately clear which cinemas would be affected. The film was due to release across Pakistan on November 18.
“The committee shall consider the complaints against the said film being against the social and moral norms and recommend follow-up actions,” the notification, a copy of which is available with Arab News, said, adding that the committee should submit its report today, Tuesday.
Responding to an Arab News query, the information ministry said the committee would meet today and submit its report to the prime minister.
According to the notification, the federal ministers for political, economic affairs, and law and justice would chair the committee while the information minister and ministers for the board of investment, information technology, and telecommunications as well as the adviser to the PM on Gilgit Baltistan, and chairmen of the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority would serve as members of the committee.
