Joyland to premiere in Pakistani cinemas this month; Senator Mushtaq demands ban
Joyland is slated to be premiered in cinemas across Pakistan on November 18 while JI Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan demanded a ban on the movie.
Joyland – the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival where it was awarded the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize and received a standing ovation – is slated to be premiered in cinemas across Pakistan on November 18. JI Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan demanded a ban on the movie.
The official trailer of Joyland was out three days ago while the movie written and directed by Saim Sadiq will be released in Pakistani cinemas on November 18. Pakistani Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai had also become the honorary executive producer of Joyland, Pakistan’s official Oscar nominee.
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However, the movie has also created a controversy which was highlighted by the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan as he claimed that Joyland was against the institution of marriage and nikah and it depicts homosexuality.
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In a Twitter message, JI Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan said that Joyland is against the social values of Pakistan and it tried to promote homosexuality.
پی ڈی ایم حکومت کاہم جنس پرستی کےابلاغ پرمبنی فرانسسی ایوارڈیافتہ فلم جوائےلینڈکی پاکستان میں نمائش کی اجازت کی مذمت کرتاہوں،اس فلم کی نمائش روکنے،عوام کوآگاہ کرنےکے لیےہرجائز/قانونی ذرائع کرینگے۔یہ فلم اسلام،ہمارےملک کےمعاشرتی اقدارکےخلاف اعلان جنگ ہے۔#Joyland #queer pic.twitter.com/cMo1Qv8mxQ
— Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan (@SenatorMushtaq) November 3, 2022
The senator said that he was told by the information ministry that permission was given for the film to be released across Pakistan while the Film Censor Board did not find any controversial content in Joyland.
He said that such films are part of planned attacks on the social values of Pakistan and that the screening of Joyland should be banned. Senator Khan also announced to launch a campaign to ban the movie.
Earlier, Pakistan’s Oscars Selection Committee had shortlisted Joyland as the country’s submission to the 95th Academy Awards for the ‘International Feature Film Award’ category.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will choose the final nominees for all award categories including International Feature Film in December 2022.
The complete and final list of Oscar nominees will be announced on January 24, 2023, with the presentation show for the 95th Academy Awards scheduled to take place on March 12, 2023.
