DOWNLOAD MOVIE: JOYLAND (2022)

As a patriarchal family yearn for the birth of a baby boy to continue their family line, their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theatre and falls for a transgender starlet.

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

Joyland 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 screened in the Un Certain Regard section, where it competed for the Caméra d’Or. The film received a standing ovation after its screening and won the festival’s Jury Prize, as well as the Queer Palm prize for best LGBTQ-themed film.

After initially being banned for theatrical release in Pakistan, Joyland was approved for release with minor cuts, premiering domestically on 18 November 2022, and receiving generally positive reviews from critics. It was selected as the Pakistani entry for Best International Feature Film at 95th Academy Awards. On 21 December 2022, it became the first Pakistani film to be shortlisted in the category

In inner-city Lahore, Amanullah is the elder patriarch of the middle-class Rana family. His younger son, Haider, has spent years unemployed, while Haider’s wife, Mumtaz, works as an aesthetician at a salon. Haider’s friend Qaiser helps Haider secure a job as a backup dancer at an erotic dance theater, where he is to perform for Biba, a transgender dancer. Haider had previously seen a bloodied Biba at a hospital, when Haider’s sister-in-law Nucchi was giving birth to a fourth granddaughter. Upon learning that Haider has found work, Amanullah—who wishes for a grandson—orders Mumtaz to quit her job, to her dismay.

Haider joins his fellow backup dancers for rehearsals with Biba, but demonstrates little experience with dancing. After the rehearsal, Haider accompanies Biba to the theater, where he witnesses an argument between Biba and the theater manager over the affordability of a standee of Biba. Biba and Haider place an order for the standee at a shop. At the Rana household, Mumtaz and Nucchi install an air conditioner.

Genre: Drama, Romance

Release: 2022-11-18

Stars: Ali Junejo, Alina Khan, Honey Albela, Priya Usman Khan, Ramiz Law, Rasti Farooq, Salmaan Peerzada, Sania Saeed, Sarwat Gilani, Sohail Sameer

Duration: 127 min

Director: Saim Sadiq

Country: PK, US

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