The Pakistani film "Joyland" may have encountered difficulties at home, but it was a hit abroad and is currently on the Oscars shortlist, making it the first ever film from that nation to do so.
The 95th edition of the Academy Awards' shortlists for 10 categories were announced on Thursday by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
"Joyland" will move on to the final round of nominations. It is one of the 15 movies that made the cut for the best foreign feature film award.
The much-praised movie centers on a patriarchal family. The family is desperate for a boy to carry on the family name. Meanwhile, their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance troupe. While there, he develops feelings for a trans woman.
The major cast also includes Aleena Khan, Salman Pirzada, Rasti Faruq, Ali Junejo, and Sohail Samir. Lauren Mann, Sarmad Sultan Khoosat, and Apoorva Guru Charan are responsible for its production.
The best foreign feature film category included movies from 92 different nations and regions. The list also included India's "Chhello Show" ("Last Film Show"), according to the Academy's official website.
Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, is part of the team of "Joyland" as an executive producer. She congratulated director Saim Sadiq for making it to the shortlist.
Yousafzai can be seen in a video on the movie's official Instagram page calling Sadiq and telling him how happy she is. "You guys have done a tremendous job. This is a great moment for all the artists and also for Pakistan. It's an honor to be associated with this movie. This is amazing," she said.
This year's Pakistani Academy Selection Committee chair, filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, announced the announcement on her Instagram Stories.
"One of our own is on the shortlist ten years after Pakistan's Oscar committee was established! There is plenty to celebrate "She shared.
"Joyland" has already received attention on a global scale. It was the first Pakistani film to be selected for the Cannes Film Festival. It took home the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard category.
However, releasing it in Pakistan was a difficult process. It was deemed "uncertified" after the censor board cleared it. It was done so because it contained "extremely unpleasant material" that contravened the nation's "social norms and moral standards."
The ban was later lifted after the prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, faced criticism from the public and celebrities. Punjab decided to reimpose the ban in the province. But despite this fact, the movie was released and received excellent reviews elsewhere.
