KARACHI: Joyland’s inclusion in a 15-film shortlist of movies that will advance to the nominations process for the Best International Feature Film Oscar has offered some healing from the “heartache” of bans on the production’s full release in Pakistan, the producer said on Thursday.
Joyland won the Cannes “Queer Palm” prize for best feminist-themed movie this year as well as the Jury Prize in the “Un Certain Regard” competition, a segment focusing on young, innovative cinema talent. It is also the first Pakistani film ever to make it to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences shortlist for the Oscars. It is headed to the Sundance Film Festival 2023 in the US next month.
However, the film has had a tough run in Pakistan, which banned its screening at movie theaters last month, reversing a previous all-clear for release order. The film, which celebrates “transgender culture” in Pakistan, was later allowed to be released in some parts of the country and remains banned in Punjab, the most populous and largest province.
The final Oscar nominations will be announced on January 24, 2023.
“I am elated, I am happy and I wish the whole joykill that was around the banning and all the trouble wasn’t there so one could have just enjoyed it,” Sarmad Sultan Khoosat, one of the producers of Joyland, told Arab News. “But this is definitely some joy that covers up for a lot of heartache that we’ve experienced around the release in Pakistan.”
“For Pakistan, it is a big milestone … We have definitely submitted [Pakistani] films over the last 10 years or so but none of them have ever made it to the shortlist.”
In a widely shared social media post, Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, who is an executive producer for the film, can be seen calling director Saim Sadiq to congratulate him and his team for the latest achievement.
“You guys have done a tremendous job. This is such big news. It’s a huge honor for me to be a part of this movie. It’s a great moment for all the amazing artists and also, for Pakistan,” Yousafzai told Sadiq over the phone call.
“I am sure we will win the Oscars,” Alina Khan, a transgender woman who plays the lead in the film, told Arab News.
“As a Pakistani, I am glad to have made the country proud to an extent. It’s a big achievement for the [film] industry. [If we win,] It will be a proud moment for the transgender community as well.”
Sarwat Gilani, who also plays a central role, expressed her joy: “It’s an absolute dream come true and it’s the best news to get on my birthday [Dec 22, 2022.”
In previous years, Pakistani films ‘Zinda Bhaag’ (2013), ‘Dukhtar’ (2014), ‘Moor’ (2015), ‘Mah e Mir’ (2016), ‘Saawan’ (2017), ‘Cake’ (2018) ‘Laal Kabootar’ (2019) and ‘Zindagi Tamasha’ (2020) were sent for Oscar consideration by the Pakistani Academy Awards Selection Committee.
