Whether it is music, literature, dance or film, along with a heavy dose of entertainment there is undoubtedly a message which is delivered to those who consume it. Sometimes the message is to depict what is already there, other times it can be to raise awareness; and then, very few, times it is there to simply ‘humanise’ the existence of people that go unnamed, unnoticed, even unacknowledged.
Pakistani film ‘Joyland’ is one of those rare gems that manages to do all three. The story revolves around a man in a conservative family and that mirrors what is already present; but it also spans the other two as it explores the lived experience of a transgender and how everyday life impact the in a society that is unwelcoming to anything that does not fall within its definitions of ‘normal’. And finally, the beauty of the humaneness regarding relationships highlighting that life is minutely complex and cannot be stripped away to suit what one considers right in their mind.
It is no wonder then such a film should be considered for the Oscars. But more than that, in a society where animals, children, minorities, the marginalised are all targets for acts of cruelty, there is a dire need to create the kind of art that doesn’t just uphold a mirror to society but in fact, communicates the need to respect life in every form.
It is precisely why the film continues to be recognised and a recent (yet, another) win has been Joyland movie winning the award for Best International Film at the 38th Independent Spirit Awards.
Critics will dismiss it as being a win for the transgender or LGQTB community but that is merely a reflection of their shallowness of understanding the film. One only has to look at what the award means to those who are part of the film to understand what their goal is.
"So proud that our Joyland movie won Best International Film at the Spirit Awards! What an incredible moment for Pakistani artists, the film’s visionary writer and director Saim Sadiq, Alina Khan, Rasti Farooq and Apoorva," said Malala. "I loved seeing so many old and new friends and celebrating their work. Congrats to all the nominees and winners."
We need to consider what Joyland has done for Pakistan – has it managed to humanise the lived experience of a hounded minority? Yes. Has it held up the mirror to show the ugliness of a patriarchal society hellbent on eradicating joy and happiness from living in Pakistan? Yes. And has it created a form of entertainment that upholds respect for life and peace instead of creating a form of entertainment supporting violence and hatred? Yes.
Joyland has won. And how.