IN the midst of a torrid summer, with the political temperature spiking and dark clouds gathering on the economic horizon, comes news to send one’s spirits soaring — the phenomenal success of Joyland at the Cannes Film Festival. Pakistan’s first ever entry to the prestigious event and director Saim Sadiq’s debut film, Joyland has won the jury prize in the Un Certain Regard category, in which are nominated movies with unusual styles or ‘non-traditional’ content. It also bagged the Queer Palm, an independently sponsored prize for best LGBT, queer or feminist-themed film at Cannes. The global recognition is a moment of pride for all Pakistanis, especially for filmmakers who have to contend with formidable hurdles to bring their endeavours to fruition, even more so if they tackle social taboos. And the story of Joyland, about a married man in love with a transgender dancer, is nothing if not subversive. Though one suspects such encounters are far from uncommon, in today’s Pakistan where moral policing appears to be a national pastime and censoriousness a virtue, bringing such stories to life requires grit and determination. The Joyland team clearly has that, and judging by the awards, oodles of talent as well.

It is not inconceivable that despite this triumph on the global stage, the movie may not get a public viewing at home. One hopes, nevertheless, that the many international accolades that Joyland is garnering will encourage the authorities to screen the film locally. For the ultra-right, that tasted ‘victory’ in the case of Sarmad Khoosat’s Zindagi Tamasha by threatening public protests if the film was released, this may once again be a chance to prove its credentials as a pressure group. That movie, which challenges stereotypes particularly dear to the religious lobby, has been subjected to entirely unjustified bans and delays — including a request by the authorities to the Council of Islamic Ideology to review it. The film has yet to premiere in local cinemas. It is high time the authorities showed some spine instead of caving in to regressive elements.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2022