ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has banned the screening of the award-winning film Joyland in cinemas across the country after receiving several complaints.
In her message on social media, Maria B demanded a ban on the release of the film Joyland in Pakistan, saying that Saim Sadiq’s film is not for the rights of transgenders, but for promoting homosexuality in Islamic society.
Earlier, after the trailer of the film came out, Jamaat-e-Islami senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan also demanded a ban on the film, claiming in his tweet that the film has tried to promote homosexuality and through such films It is planned to attack Pakistan’s social values.
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 story of the film revolves around a teenager and a transgender who fall in love while working in a dance club. The film was awarded the ‘Cannes: Queer Palm’ award at the Cannes Film Festival, which is given exclusively to films based on the stories of queer or transgender people.
Two trends are emerging on Twitter regarding the international award winning Pakistani film Joyland.
الحمدللہ! @GovtofPakistan
نےمتنازع فلم جوائےلینڈکوجاری کردہ نمائش کالائسنس منسوخ کردیاہے۔نوٹیفیکیشن جاری،یہ حکومت کااحسن اقدام ہے۔پاکستان اسلامی مملکت ہےیہاں کوئی قانون، کوئی اقدام،کوئی نظریہ خلافِ اسلام نہیں چل سکتا۔#BanJoyland pic.twitter.com/tib00zo6Dd— Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan (@SenatorMushtaq) November 12, 2022
However, after receiving several complaints, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has canceled the Censor Board’s certificate issued to the film, banning the screening of the movie Joyland in cinemas across the country.
There’s a paid smear campaign doing rounds against #Joyland, a film that made history for Pakistani cinema, got passed by all censor boards but now authorities are caving into pressure from some malicious people who have not even seen the film. #ReleaseJoyland @MoIB_Official
— sarwat gilani (@sarwatgilani) November 12, 2022
Directed by Saeem Sadiq, the cast of this film includes Sarmad Khost, Sarwat Gilani, Alina Khan, Sohail Samir, Salman Pir, Sania Saeed, Kanwal Khost, Zoya Ahsan, Sana Jaffrey and Qasim Abbas among others. They are demanding release in Pakistan. Remember that Joyland was supposed to be released in Pakistan on November 18 this month.
