Pakistan Bans Its Own Official Oscar Entry Joyland Over Objectionable Material, Draws Anger
Pakistan has banned its own official Oscar entry Joyland in the country. The film has been banned because of its "highly objectionable material".
Pakistan has banned its own official Oscar entry in the country. The movie that won Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section of the 75th Cannes Film Festival and received a standing ovation at the prestigious award function, Saim Sadiq's Joyland shows a daring portrait of a transgender dancer in the country.
"It's a very powerful film, that represents everything that we stand for," Queer Palm jury head, French director Catherine Corsini, told AFP about the film.
Pakistan Bans Its Own Official Oscar Entry Joyland
Pakistan's first entry to #Cannes2022, ¡®Joyland,¡¯ in competition for the category ¡®Un Certain Regard,¡¯ received a prolonged standing ovation during its debut screening https://t.co/W4Q01HboDj pic.twitter.com/03hOALZYu9
¡ª Reuters (@Reuters) May 25, 2022
The movie has won praises internationally but remains banned in its own country. This comes months after a certificate was issued clearing the movie for public viewing. The certificate for screening was granted by the government on August 17.
Joyland has been banned over "highly objectionable material".
The film has been banned because of its "highly objectionable material". After the government gave a certificate for viewing, objections were raised on the content of the movie. So much so, that protests were held. Following this, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting banned the movie in order to avoid a backlash from conservative elements of the country.
The statement from the ministry read, "Written complaints were received that the film contains highly objectionable material which do 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".
Joyland was scheduled to released on Nov 18. Saim Sadiq has made his directorial debut with the movie. What is the film about?
Twitter
Joyland follows the story of a patriarchal family who awaiting the birth of a son. The youngest son joins an erotic dance theatre and falls for a trans woman. The film stars Sania Saeed, Ali Junejo, Alina Khan, Sarwat Gilani, Rasti Farooq, Salmaan Peerzada and Sohail Sameer.
While religious groups are slamming the film saying it is against Islam, many others are criticising the ban.
"Promote brainless violence & war in films all you want but don¡¯t you dare portray a vulnerable community in human light - no space for that in Pakistan thanks to the violence of people with close to zero democratic mandate & not having watched a film they want banned," read a tweet.
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
¡ª sarwat gilani (@sarwatgilani) November 12, 2022
No one¡¯s forcing anyone to watch it! So don¡¯t force anyone to not watch it either! Pakistani viewers are smart enough to know what they want to watch or not. Let Pakistanis decide! Don¡¯t insult their intelligence and our hard work! #ReleaseJoyland @MoIB_Official @GovtofPakistan
¡ª sarwat gilani (@sarwatgilani) November 12, 2022
To the @MoIB_Official:
¡ª Osman Khalid Butt (@aClockworkObi) November 12, 2022
Can you please confirm the authenticity of this letter (shared by a member of Senate), because if Joyland has been declared an uncertified film, I've got some questions.
/cont'd. pic.twitter.com/YqnVjuGymF
As a nation that has celebrated Joyland's many milestones and achievements, it is incredibly disheartening to see you cave under the pressure of 'written complaints' (by..who, exactly? Where and how have these people seen the film?)
¡ª Osman Khalid Butt (@aClockworkObi) November 12, 2022
/cont'd.
There are testimonies by people who've ???????? seen the film at Cannes, at TIFF (not those judging by hearsay/bias), who claim there's absolutely nothing objectionable about Joyland.
¡ª Osman Khalid Butt (@aClockworkObi) November 12, 2022
We've seen the same happen with Verna, with Maalik, with Zindagi Tamasha...
/cont'd.
If the themes of Joyland (and this is a hypothesis - I haven't seen the film) are too sensitive/mature for general audiences, then give it an appropriate rating. There's precedent.
¡ª Osman Khalid Butt (@aClockworkObi) November 12, 2022
But don't deprive us of watching the film.#ReleaseJoyland
Hi @Marriyum_A. The ban on #Joyland makes no sense.
¡ª Mira Sethi (@sethimirajee) November 13, 2022
(1) You can¡¯t claim to be a democrat but go around banning movies and art!
(2) We go on about ¡°showing Pakistan¡¯s positive side¡±¡ªthis movie does exactly that, by putting Pakistani cinema on the world map. #ReleaseJoyland
#ReleaseJoyland ! There is no reason not to. Be proud of the work that our artists create not afraid! Give your own people the respect they get in foreign lands. Support us, stand by us and we as Pakistani artists will make this country proud! https://t.co/6jQizg0Xbx
¡ª Sanam Saeed (@sanammodysaeed) November 13, 2022
Promote brainless violence & war in films all you want but don¡¯t you dare portray a vulnerable community in human light - no space for that in Pakistan thanks to the violence of people with close to zero democratic mandate & not having watched a film they want banned. #joyland
¡ª Usama Khilji (@UsamaKhilji) November 12, 2022
Shame on you Govt of Pakistan for banning Joyland. Its a reality film about a family that lives in Lahore. It might win OSCAR if released before Nov 30th. If you don¡¯t have the GUTS to stand against extremist narrative, then you¡¯re as SPINELESS as Imran Khan¡¯s Govt. I¡¯m your¡ª pic.twitter.com/NiOPRJMTdI
¡ª Saad Kaiser ?? (@TheSaadKaiser) November 13, 2022
2 years ago, when I left Pakistan, Zindagi Tamasha was banned under similar labels of "indecency and immorality".
¡ª Javaria (@JavariaWaseem) November 13, 2022
2 years later, Joyland is being censored with the same tactics.
It's heartbreaking to see that things haven't changed a bit, probably just gotten worse.
Govt has banned Oscar nominated ¡°Joyland¡± Pakistani film. Being one of the biggest PML-N supporters, I¡¯ll always have a problem with this type of hypocrisy. To make Pakistan a GREAT country, we need a ¡°progressive mindset¡±. PML-N must STAND UP against extremist mindset! #Joyland pic.twitter.com/10mYrGDd0Y
¡ª Saad Kaiser ?? (@TheSaadKaiser) November 13, 2022
Joyland is a film about a family that lives in Gawalmandi, Lahore.
¡ª Imran Ahmad Khan (@imranahmadkh) November 12, 2022
Our Lahore.
It¡¯s a film about human beings that exist around us in Pakistan.
Our Pakistanis.
It was filmed here - across real locations, with real people.
joyland being banned in pakistan right after i saw so many tiktoks questioning a nineteen year old naseem shah¡¯s sexuality because he was hugging his teammates ¡ pakistan truly sexualizes anything that moves and it¡¯s disgusting.
¡ª hiba (grad school apps era) (@imaancipation) November 12, 2022
Joyland isn¡¯t being released in Pakistan¡ªa film that has been winning high praise from international audiences. Our decision makers are still treating Pakistani audiences like children, depriving us of art & culture under the guise of morality. #ReleaseJoyland pic.twitter.com/eJ4au021do
¡ª Shahmir Mughal (@Shahmirayyy) November 14, 2022
Thanks to all of those
¡ª ???????? (@Shahid_Nama) November 14, 2022
They have banned on
Joyland movie in Pakistan
To subscribe our YouTube channel
Click on link below ?https://t.co/VgbUU403St#ReleaseJoyland pic.twitter.com/FS4HtEle79
Who are the real faces behind the ban verdict of #Joyland? What is the fear? How does one overcome it? How long will Pakistan be suffocated by hypocrites who enjoy all the benefits of the Western first world themselves but impose the ideology of the dark ages upon others? Buss na
¡ª Nadia Jamil (@NJLahori) November 14, 2022
#Joyland is one of the finest films ever made in Pakistan. Every frame of the film oozes brilliance. I don't think Pakistan has ever had a better chance at Oscar glory. Really looking forward to see the film play in Pakistani cinemas. The audience deserves it.
¡ª Rafay Mahmood (@Rafay_Mahmood) November 12, 2022
Joyland has been banned from broadcast in Pakistan. An internationally acclaimed film that was created by Pakistanis and produced in Pakistan, is deemed unsuitable for viewers because some Pakistani men fear an inclusive ?? - the same men who think it¡¯s okay to marry young girls. pic.twitter.com/C0jWtgCKsQ
¡ª Saima Razzaq (She/Her) ????????? (@McSaima) November 12, 2022
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Garima Satija leads the Entertainment vertical of Indiatimes. A storyteller at heart who enjoys the thrill of writing, she is sometimes found daydreaming about living the lives of movie characters. Also, she hates talking about herself in the third person.
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