Daily Times

Yet another milestone has been achieved by Pakistan’s debut Cannes feature ‘Joyland’ – with the latest standing ovation at Toronto International Film Festival.

After successfully making waves at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, the young director Saim Sadiq with his latest feature ‘Joyland’ continues to make the nation proud with the achievement streak.

Adding to the haul, the Cannes-winner received a prolonged standing ovation from the viewers after the screening at the esteemed Toronto International Film Festival on Tuesday. “We are so obliged and overwhelmed by the accolades and appreciation continually given to Joyland,” prolific actor/director Sarmad Khoosat, who bankrolled the project under his ‘Khoosat Films’, announced on social media.

“The film received a prolonged standing ovation at its North American premiere held at the Toronto International Film Festival 2022.”

It is pertinent to mention that ‘Joyland’ had won the ‘jury prize’ in the ‘Un Certain Regard’ category at the Cannes Film festival as well as the ‘Queer Palm’ award. The title triumphed over 13 other nominees to pick up the coveted prize, while it also received a 10-minute-long standing ovation from the festival attendees after the premiere.

Moreover, the title also brought home the award for ‘Best Film from The Subcontinent’ at the 13th edition of Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, held in Australia last month.

Celebrating the ‘transgender culture’ of the country, ‘Joyland’ by Saim Sadiq is the “tale of the sexual revolution that sees a patriarchal family yearn for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line, while their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theatre and falls for an ambitious transsexual starlet.”

The title is led by trans actor Alina Khan, while an ensemble cast including Sana Jafri, Ali Junejo, Rasti Farooq, Sarwat Gilani, Sohail Sameer, Salman Peerzada and Sania Saeed played pivotal roles.