Joy at Cannes

Right next to the star-studded industry of a hostile neighbour stands Pakistan's isolated entertainment industry which has suffered through decades due to political instability in the country and an increasingly regressive social order which barely allows its people to appreciate the arts. And yet talented Pakistani filmmakers and singers continue to dominate some of the biggest international events and platforms – from the Grammys to the Cannes Film Festival. ‘Joyland’, a Pakistani feature film, came as a welcome surprise when it received a standing ovation at Cannes. That Pakistan’s first Cannes entry received so much appreciation is indeed an achievement. But what makes this even more special is the fact that the film revolves around the life of a transwoman played by Alina Khan – a member of the trans community whose plight often remains hidden in the country. Directed by Saim Sadiq, the film’s cast includes veterans like Sania Saeed. Joyland has also become the first film from the subcontinent to win the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard category. It has also received the Queer Palm prize.

While people in Pakistan have been quick to applaud the filmmaker and his team for the recognition they have received at one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world, this must also be a moment of introspection. The movie that has made Pakistanis proud needed US sponsors for its funding, highlighting the lack of resources available to filmmakers in the country who wish to go beyond what passes as entertainment and film here. Without patronage for subversive art and cinema, creativity gives way to run-of-the-mill formula filmmaking.

Filmmakers who have dared to create their art on taboo topics have often met with severe outrage and backlash. The creativity of such innovative filmmakers is only rewarded when their content manages to find some space on international platforms. In 2022, this is the third win for Pakistan’s entertainment industry – after Arooj Aftab’s Grammy win and Ali Sethi and Shae Gill’s blockbuster Pasoori song. The issue is evidently not one of talent or craft but one of patronage that recognizes creativity and art. There is enough space for Pakistan's entertainment sphere to accommodate both 'high culture' and formula blockbusters, without succumbing to the near-nauseating interference of regressive elements. The fact that Joyland is yet to be screened in Pakistan speaks volumes of the challenges facing art and entertainment in the country.