Joyland

538 Congress St,Portland ME 04101

06 May, 2023

Description

The debut feature from writer-director Saim Sadiq, JOYLAND explores the many sides of love and desire in a patriarchal society. Gentle and timid, Haider (Ali Junejo) lives with his wife Mumtaz (Rasti Farooq), his father, and his elder brother’s family in Lahore, Pakistan. Following a long spell of unemployment, Haider finally lands a job at a Bollywood-style burlesque, telling his family he is a theater manager, when in actuality, he is a backup dancer. The unusual position shakes up the steadfast traditional dynamics of his household and enables Haider to break out of his shell. As he acclimates to the new job, Haider becomes infatuated with the strong-willed trans woman Biba (Alina Khan) who runs the show—an unforeseen partnership that opens his eyes and ultimately his worldview, in ways both unexpected and intimate. “Funny, forward, and bracingly political…Pakistani director Saim Sadiq’s sensuous film mounts an indictment of misogyny and transphobia without ever lecturing us.” – Anthony Lane, The New Yorker “Brimming with life and novelistic detail. This is a movie about people who find their inner lives and sense of themselves don’t match up to what is expected of them…a delicate, intelligent and emotionally rich film. What a debut from Sadiq.” – Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian (UK) “Wonderful. JOYLAND’s quiet power comes not through melodrama, which Sadiq scrupulously avoids, but its deep affection for its characters.” – Kaleem Aftab, Time Out