Joyland

I guess people have forgotten the difference between the meanings of "promotion" and "depiction". For those who really don't know what these words mean: promotion means to encourage, to support something. And depiction means to show something, to make people aware of something by showing it to them.

Now, Joyland, nowhere in its 126 minutes run supports or encourages or "promotes" homosexuality or anything that is anti-Islamic. In fact, this isn't even the only theme of the film. It covers pretty much every aspect of the domestic life of a lower middle-class Pakistani man and a woman (I didn't mention transgender person because those poor things have only one class of lifestyle). It shows every harsh reality of our society. It shows all the plagues our country is being devoured by, those which aren't remotely related to Islam but have become a part of our tradition despite being highly toxic. These are the stigmas that we suffer from in our lives but no one wants to get rid of them because they have been here for so long that they have become normal. And a life without them would be abnormal or even disgraceful and shameful according to our "elders".

The film does show the homosexuality that exists in our country. It doesn't tell whether its good or bad, it just shows it. The only thing that could be a negative point in my opinion would be the graphic scenes. They weren't really that necessary.

In the end, I would say that Joyland is probably the best film that's come out of Pakistani industry in a long time. We need to support such films and accept the existence of all the brutalities of the society they make us aware about. And lastly, try to do something about them.

Joyland is a deep, emotional and quite sad film. The moments of happiness are quite often also wrapped in pain and guilt and the sad moments take the lead in the whole story.

Joyland is a film about a Pakistani man that finds a job as a background dancer in an erotic theatre. The main dancer is trans, who you can see struggles with how she is perceived in society as "not a real woman". The two fall in love which causes problems between the man and his wife. Who live with the father, brother, wife in-law (and their kids), of the man. Who are more conservative.

This film shows the struggles of people who fall out of order in the traditional Pakistani society. Women who want to work although they are married, trans people who are not perceived as the gender they embody no matter what they do and men who don't fit in the masculine stereotype set out by society.

The cinematography and ambience is great in this film. The reason why I gave it a 7 ( although more of an 7,5) was because at times the story felt somewhat slow and boring in a sense, although quite some stuff was happening. I would say over all you should absolutely watch this beautiful film, it will bring you in touch with a world you probably haven't seen before.

The prison you call home has let you go, exchanging places with your wife to earn some dough, leaves her trapped and isolated, while you become more animated, and discover what deep down, you've always known; as you fall for dancer Biba who you're supporting, on the stage but after hours you are cavorting, in a world that can be rigid, you find yourself no longer frigid, then you misjudge the whole vibe, with your contorting.

It's a wonderful and brave piece of cinema that breaks boundaries by some measure (and quite rightly so), as Haider falls for the elegant transgender Biba, and his wife Mumtaz pays the penalty for his indiscretions.

Sad that after recieving clearance for release by a special committee formed by PM Shehbaz Sharif, the film #Joyland gets banned by Punjab Government; And that politicians/ adults in Pakistan would be so petty and spiteful as to deny people their fundamental right to live.

The film that's giving the LGBTQ community in Pakistan a voice, has been banned yet again in Pakistan. Can't use personal religious belief to ignore morals that demand equality among all humans. Love is understanding.

Telling people what to do with their body has emerged as a social sickness of the 21st Century. People who cannot change, are telling people not to change. Future isn't something you passively wait for, but something you create yourself.

We have to start making sense as humans. That every human has the right to live is a moral, not a religious issue.

The fact that I got to watch this in a Pakistani cinema feels really great.

Joyland is a movie told in moments and every scene still has me in a chokehold. I was sobbing by the end and for me, if a movie can move you to tears then its a great one!

It will also make you very uncomfortable and it should because what we see on the screen is a reality of every women and every trans person. This is our life on screen and its a mirror to our society.

The cast was stellar and I truly hope that Pakistanis continue to make movies that tells a real story. I am also so freaking proud that we didn't let the bigots win this time.