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Joyland (film)
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Wikipedia article
'Joyland' is a 2022 Pakistani Urdu-language drama film written and directed by Saim Sadiq in his directorial debut feature film. The film starring Ali Junejo, Rasti Farooq, Alina Khan and Sarwat Gilani centers on the extended patriarchal Ranas family, who yearn for the birth of another boy.
It had its world premiere at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival on May 23, 2022, in Un Certain Regard, where it competed for the Camra d'Or. 'Joyland' is the first Pakistani film to premiere at
Cannes Film Festival and it received standing ovation after its screening, and also won Jury Prize and Queer Palm awards at the festival.
Premise
Joyland is a fictional story set in Lahore about a middle-class family in which a wheelchair-bound yet severe patriarch rules over his two sons and daughters-in-law. He wants his kids to give him grandchildren, but all changes when his younger son, Haider, falls in love with Biba, a transgender dancer played by Alina Khan, while working as a background dancer for her.
Cast
* Rasti Farooq as Mumtaz
* Alina Khan as Biba
* Sarwat Gilani as Nucchi
* Salmaan Peerzada as Rana Amanullah
* Sohail Sameer as Saleem
* Sania Saeed as Fayyaz
* Ali Junejo as Haider
Release
The film had its world premiere at the 75th Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section on 23 May 2022. Film Constellation, a U.K. and France-based sales firm, has taken up the international rights for the film, which will be shared with WME Independent for representation in North America. French rights of the film were acquired by Condor.
The film was invited at 2022 Toronto International Film Festival in 'Special Presentations' section and was screened on 8 September 2022. It also made it to 'A Window on Asian Cinema' section of 27th Busan International Film Festival to be screened on October 6, 2022.
Reception
The film has received positive reviews from international critics. It received a standing ovation at the premiere at Cannes Film Festival. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating, based on 12 reviews with an average rating of 7.7/10.
Lovia Gyarkye of 'The Hollywood Reporter', reviewing the film described it as a "family saga, one that [the director] Sadiq uses to observe how gender norms constrict, and then asphyxiate, individuals". In his bottom line comment, Gyarkye termed 'Joyland' as "An aching consideration of gender and sexuality."
Anna Smith of 'Deadline Hollywood Daily' opined that the film "has a vivid sense of place, created not so much by its geographical backdrop as its characters." Smith concluding her review wrote, 'Joyland' remains a thoughtful, well performed and engrossing drama set in a culture thats shifting, and not always with ease." Allan Hunter of 'Screen Daily' wrote, "Sadiqs screenplay navigates a complex web of secrets and lies, pressures and prejudices to create a soulful human drama intent on challenging narrow minds." Hunter opined that "there are no real villains here beyond a society that imposes rigid expectations on individuals and genders" so, Hunter believed that "liberation carries a hefty price in 'Joyland', especially for the women," he further felt that "Sadiqs engaging, thought-provoking film is fully aware of the sacrifices made and the struggles that still lie ahead."
Siddhant Adlakha of IndieWire graded the film as B+ and wrote, "The frame moves slowly, if at all, but it always brims with physical and emotional energy; theres always something in the ether, whether embodied by dazzling displays of light as characters move across stages and club floors or by breathtaking silences." In 'National Herald' Namrata Joshi wrote that the film has been crafted on the "power of the implicit". Joshi praised "virtuoso cast", writing, "each character, irrespective of her or his length of stay on screen, is imbued with a rare completeness, and brought alive by meticulous, effortless performance". Concluding her review, she stated, "'Joyland' begins with a birth, a sense of hope and possibility but leaves one with a tremendous sense of loss." Next she brought out the pathos of the film writing, "The circle of life is communicated with tenderness and poise by Sadiq that makes it doubly poignant." Jason Gorber, film critic, reviewing at Cannes festival appreciated the film stating, "Expect this to be an absolute breakthrough from this year's Cannes 2022 with enormous international attention." Gorber found the film "Profound and powerful" and further stated, "Pakistani drama upends all expectation of cinema from that often closed culture, one that brashly looks at love, family, longing in its myriad forms. Anupama Chopra reviewing the film, praised the performances of ensemble writing, "The actors Ali Junejo , Salmaan Peerzada , Sarwat Gilani, Sania Saeed and Alina Khan- deliver emotionally resonant performances." Chopra concluded, "With poetry and abiding melancholy, 'Joyland' creates a poignant portrait of a splintered family". Shubhra Gupta of 'The Indian Express' found 'Joyland' "the Pakistans first official entry, heartwarming..." Ryan Leston of Slash Film rated the film with 7 out of 10 and praised the director Saim Sadiq for his subtle approach to the film. Leston appreciated the film calling it, "a wonderful film about longing and desire with a melancholy undertone that you just don't expect." Concluding review Leston observed, "'Joyland' is a profoundly moving film that might just make a difference." Guy Lodge of 'Variety' found the film "tartly funny and plungingly sad in equal measure," and opined that, "as a tale of transgender desire in a Muslim country, its very premise makes it a boundary-breaker." Appreciating the director, Lodge wrote, "Sadiq's debut impresses with its sensitive storytelling and vibrant visuals."
Accolades
References
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