Pakistan's Official Oscars Entry 'Joyland' To Release With Minor Cuts

Joyland movie will be Pakistan's official entry for Oscars 2023 but the film was banned in the country before its release on November 18. The movie showcases the love story of a transgender theatre actor and a boy who fights against patriarchal norms.

Joyland is a Pakistani movie directed by Saim Sadiq and produced by Sarmad Khoosat and showcased the unconventional love story of a transgender theatre artist and a young boy. The movie went on to become Pakistan's official entry to the Oscars 2023 because of its critical response. It faced religious backlash in Pakistan and was banned a week before its release on November 18. The authorities made an important decision regarding the release of the film in the country.

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Joyland Controversy: Why Was Pakistan's Official Oscars Entry Banned?

Joyland was claimed by Pakistan's Ministry of Broadcasting and Information to be an 'uncertified' film as per Section 9 of the Motion Picture Ordinance, 1979 which reportedly states that a movie is uncertified when it is against the glory of Islam or Pakistan's integrity, defence or security or it threatens public order, foreign relations, morality or decency in any way. The ministry claimed that it received written complaints against the movie claiming that it contained objectionable content that went against the moral standards and social values of the society and hence the morality or decency stated in Section 9.

However, on November 15, the Pakistani authorities informed on social media that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif constituted a high-level committee to look into the matter and the committee cleared the movie for release with minor cuts. Salman Sufi, an aide of Pakistani PM, reportedly told, "The decision is a simple yet powerful message that the government stands by freedom of speech and safeguards it, and cannot allow mere smear campaigns or disinformation to be used as choking creative freedom".

Joyland is a critically acclaimed Pakistani film that made history by becoming the first ever Pakistani movie to be screened at Cannes Film Festival and received a standing ovation at the festival. The movie also received the Queen Palm award at Cannes which is an independent award for LGBTQ+ movies.