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Saim Sadiq’s Joyland nominated for Best International Film at the Independent Spirit Awards

Saim Sadiq’s Joyland nominated for Best International Film at the Independent Spirit Awards

The film will be competing against Marie Kreutzer’s Corsage, Martika Ramirez Escobar’s Leonor Will Never Die, Davy Chou’s Return to Seoul and Alice Diop’s Saint Omer.
23 Nov, 2022

The Independent Spirit Awards announced its nominations on Tuesday morning and Saim Sadiq’s Joyland has been nominated for Best International Film.

The film, that’s currently screening in Pakistan, will be competing against Marie Kreutzer’s Corsage, Martika Ramirez Escobar’s Leonor Will Never Die, Davy Chou’s Return to Seoul and Alice Diop’s Saint Omer.

Directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s Everything Everywhere All at Once, starring Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu and Jamie Lee Curtis, led the tally with eight nominations — Best Feature, Best Director, Best Lead Performance, Curtis and Quan for Best Supporting Performance, Best Breakthrough Performance, Best Screenplay and Best Editing.

Right behind their film was Todd Field’s Tar with seven nominations and Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun with five.

Sadiq’s Joyland has many feathers in its cap, starting with it being the first Cannes entry for Pakistan and bagging the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard segment. It also got the Best Film award at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne and, more recently, Joyland was selected as Pakistan’s official submission for the Oscars.

The film is set in Lahore and narrates the story of the Ranas, a middle-class family with stringent and patriarchal family values. These values are severed when the youngest son in the family, Haider, played by Ali Junejo, joins a dance theatre and falls for a transgender dancer named Biba, played by Alina Khan. The film also stars Sarwat Gilani, Rasti Farooq, Sania Saeed, Sohail Sameer and Salmaan Peerzada.

Joyland was the subject of controversy in Pakistan because people believed it had ‘objectionable’ content. It was banned by the Central Board of Film Censors and then later unbanned by a committee formed by the prime minister. Despite the lifting of the ban, Punjab has not allowed it to be screened and people have approached the Peshawar High Court against it.

The Independent Spirit Awards will be held on March 4, 2023 in California, US.

Comments

Haroon Rashid Nov 23, 2022 11:50am
we are at 180 degrees with West and my fear is as we are impressed deeply with them, the storm of their bads will cover us all soon
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Ahmed Nov 23, 2022 11:56am
The title reads as if this is some sort of achievement.
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M. Emad Nov 23, 2022 12:05pm
Pakistan is a Muslim country.
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KA Nov 23, 2022 12:27pm
The West at its best to Defame Pakistan and our Culture.
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NYS Nov 23, 2022 12:32pm
Unbanned film and destroy social fabric
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NYS Nov 23, 2022 12:41pm
Consider Pakistan an Islamic state then barr this flick don't you see the sound example that Qatar Muslim state ,held mega FIFA and they didn't allow beer and LGBT flag......
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SMI Nov 23, 2022 01:08pm
Anything which hurt our people has recognition in other part of the world ! This is a general comment not specific to this movie
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Dr. Salaria Ahmed Part -II Nov 23, 2022 01:26pm
Of course it is. Backed and funded by certain elements with agenda ro abolish family values in the name of freedom!
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Nads Nov 23, 2022 01:30pm
A man becomes a woman and another man falls in love with him and forgets all about his wife ..what a story what a vision! Really giving food for thought to all marrried men of our country who are already famous for their good conduct to their poor wives!
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Nov 23, 2022 01:41pm
So, what?
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M. Saeed Nov 23, 2022 02:24pm
Ban every road signal in the country because, they are at every signal,
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Jamil Soomro, New York City Nov 23, 2022 03:37pm
Besides our obsession with Afghanistan now we are also obsessed with "Joyland" LGBT Transgenders. Let us move on with our family lives.
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ali Nov 23, 2022 04:23pm
Next nomination will be in VMA
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Alisha Nov 23, 2022 04:58pm
They will award anything that makes muslim world angry and hurt their religious sentiments.
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Jigen.m19 Nov 23, 2022 05:02pm
It will win too. The West wants to promote LGBTQ ideology all over the world. It’s part of their strategy to corrupt and sexualize the world.
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Wajih Syed Nov 23, 2022 09:33pm
Everyone has the right to live as per their wishes. You can't impose your ideas on other people. If a man says he is a woman then he is a woman. You don't live within her skin. So you don't know what you are talking about. Gender is in between your ears, not in between your legs. Islam is not a tyrant religion that imposses it's dogma on everyone. Islam is supposed to be a religion of love, not hate. Trans women has every right to breath and live the way they want, as you have the right. Don't use religion to make people suffer.
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Padma Poori Nov 24, 2022 01:53am
Hoopla about this film is comical. What is destroying Pakistan right now ? LGTBQ? If those against Joyland would use the same gusto, strength & help wipeout corruption & bribe taking then they would have the moral authority to make it know they live in a country that follows Islamic principles. Mired in corruption which is the fabric of Pakistani society gives you no right to preach !
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Padma Poori Nov 24, 2022 01:54am
@M. Emad yes it is where corruption is live & the fabric of society.
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Padma Poori Nov 24, 2022 01:54am
@KA don’t flatter yourself the West has other things to worry about!
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Padma Poori Nov 24, 2022 01:55am
@Dr. Salaria Ahmed Part -II stop being so dramatic! You ignore corruption around you is that not a part of family value?
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Padma Poori Nov 24, 2022 01:57am
@Jigen.m19 false statement transgenders are a part of Joyland & there is no LGTBQ agenda as wrongly stated !
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Maryam Jamal Nov 24, 2022 03:38am
@Wajih Syed if a man becomes a woman than he says that there was a mistake in his creation. In other words creator has made a mistake. It’s an agenda to ease the way for LGBTQ in every Muslim world. Those who are supporting this filth they are helping them to destroy the fabric of the society. This movie has to receive all sort of awards and recognition as it is funded by them.
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Maryam Jamal Nov 24, 2022 03:40am
We are so starved of their awards and have a high level of inferiority complex. Without knowing that why the west is recognising something or giving an award we start a campaign to celebrate their award even if it goes against us or our country or our people, it doesn’t matter.
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Haniya Ahmed Nov 24, 2022 03:42am
Shame on all those actors, ministers, politicians and people who are supporting this filth.
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