Joyland

Set in inner-city Lahore, Joyland centers around the middle-class Rana family, headed by an elder patriarch who yearns for the birth of a grandson. He forces his daughter-in-law Mumtaz to quit her job after Haider, his youngest son and her husband, finds work at an erotic dance theatre. However, complications arise when Haider becomes infatuated with Biba, a transgender dancer.

“It’s a film about the ways in which patriarchy hurts everyone — men, women and children. It’s a film about the healing powers of female friendship and solidarity. It’s a film about the costs of ignoring our own dreams to conform to society around us. Joyland is also a love letter to Pakistan, to its culture, food, fashion and, most of all, its people.” – Malala Yousafzai, executive producer

Joyland is an Urdu and Punjabi-language Pakistani drama film written, directed and co-edited by Saim Sadiq in his feature directorial debut. The film stars Ali Junejo, Rasti Farooq, Alina Khan, Sarwat Gilani, and Salmaan Peerzada.

It had its world premiere at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival on 23 May 2022, becoming the first Pakistani film to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. It also became the first Pakistani film to be shortlisted at the Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category at the 95th Academy Awards.

Joyland was produced by Apoorva Guru Charan, Sarmad Sultan Khoosat, Sabiha Sumar, and Lauren Mann. It is an ALL CAPS and Khoosat Films production in association with Extracurricular, Diversity Hire Ltd, One Two Twenty Entertainment, Blood Moon Creative, Film Manufacturers Inc, Astrakan AB, Noruz Films, Vidhi Films and Instinct Productions.

Other producers include Kathryn M. Moseley, Oliver Ridge, April Shih and Katharina Otto-Bernstein. Jemima Khan executive produced alongside Malala Yousafzai, Ramin Bahrani, William Olsson, Jen Goyne Blake, Tiffany Boyle, Elsa Ramo, Oleg Dubson, Kathrin Lohmann, Hari Charana Prasad, Sukanya Puvvula, Owais Ahmed and Riz Ahmed.

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