Arranged marriage

CINEMA OF TOMORROW

This time we are going to talk regarding “Joyland: the land of dreams”, Saim Sadiq’s first feature film, which was even nominated for the Oscar for best foreign film.

Already at this LXXV International Film Festival we had seen an arranged marriage in the Israeli “Valeria Comes to Get Married” by Michal Vinik. It is the turn of the Pakistani film “Joyland: the land of dreams”, the first feature film by Saim Sadiq, which was even nominated for the Oscar for best foreign film, which “Zone of interest” ended up winning.

The script by the director himself and Maggie Briggs tells the story of Haider (Ali Junejo), a timid young man who is supported by his wife Mumtaz (Rasti Farooq) and who is reprimanded by his father Aman (Salmaan Peerzada) “for not giving him a grandson.” .

Things seem to change when Haider finally gets a job, although he hides his true nature from his family, as he is a simple dancer for the trans Biba (Alina Khan), with whom he will tragically fall in love.

The director of shorts like “Darling” and “Nowhere” portrays the sexist Pakistani society of which Haider is a victim, because although he is a man of good feelings and a hard worker, he is called a pushover and not a man by his family.

“Joyland” won the prize for best artistic contribution at the Cairo Festival and won the Queer Palm at the Cannes Festival.

Fact: The director of short films like “Darling” and “Nowhere” portrays the macho Pakistani society of which Haider is a victim, because although he is a man of good feelings and a hard worker, he is labeled as a pushover and not a man.