On November 11, Saim Sadiq’s critically-acclaimed film Joyland got banned in Pakistan by the authorities. In its notification, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said it contained ‘highly objectionable material. The movie reportedly got a screening certificate from the government on August 17. It was the official entry of Pakistan for the 2023 Oscars.
Notably, objections were raised over the content after its release. Some protests and concerns allegedly pushed the authorities to ban the film to avoid a backlash. In its notification, the ministry noted, “Written complaints were received that the film contains highly objectionable material which does not conform with the social values and moral standards of our society and is clearly repugnant to the norms of ‘decency and morality as laid down in Section 9 of the Motion Picture Ordinance, 1979.”
The film was scheduled for theatre release on November 18. The story revolves around a ‘patriarchal family’ wanting to have a baby boy to continue the family line. The youngest son of the family joins an erotic dance theatre secretly. He then falls for a transgender.
The fundamentalists in the country have deemed the movie as anti-Islam. Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan of Jamaat-e-Islami in the Pakistan Senate said in a tweet, “Pakistan is an Islamic country, and no law, ideology or activity can be allowed against.”
Actors and netizens came forward in support of the film and criticised the ban. They slammed the government for paving the pressure by the fundamentalists against the film. Reportedly, Joyland was the first Pakistani movie to be screened at Cannes Film Festival. It won the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize and Queer Palm award at the festival. Further, it was screened at Toronto International Film Festival and the Busan International Film Festival.
In a statement, Sania Saeed, one of the cast members, said as the film has been banned in Pakistan, it would face hurdles in Oscar nominations. Furthermore, it would be heartbreaking that the people of Pakistan would not be able to see a Pakistani film that received love across the globe, she added.
Sania Saeed speak about #Joyland and the #BanJoyland issue. @EPWing_moib @Marriyum_A pic.twitter.com/gJKm5QkOaj
— Dr. Taimur Rahman (@Taimur_Laal) November 13, 2022
Another cast member Sarwat Gilani said, “There’s a paid smear campaign doing rounds against #Joyland, a film that made history for Pakistani cinema, got passed by all censor boards, but now authorities are caving in to pressure from some malicious people who have not even seen the film.”
Shameful that a Pakistani film made by 200 Pakistanis over 6 years that got standing ovations from Toronto to Cairo to Cannes is being hindered in its own country. Don’t take away this moment of pride and joy from our people! #ReleaseJoyland @MoIB_Official @GovtofPakistan
— sarwat gilani (@sarwatgilani) November 12, 2022
“Shameful that a Pakistani film made by 200 Pakistanis over six years that got standing ovations from Toronto to Cairo to Cannes is being hindered in its own country. Don’t take away this moment of pride and joy from our people!” she added.
The cast of Joyland include Sania Saeed, Ali Junejo, Alina Khan, Sarwat Gilani, Rasti Farooq, Salmaan Peerzada and Sohail Sameer.
