April 7 - 13, 2023 - Fri.@12:15, 2:45, 5:15, 7:50 Sat.@12:00, 2:35, 4:15, 5:40, 8:20 Sun.& On @12:15, 2:50, 5:30, 8:10
A picture of historic firsts, the first Pakistani film to screen at Cannes and be nominated for Best International Feature at the Oscars. A aesthetically stunning, subversive family drama set in the bustling metropolis of Lahore, JOYLAND was initially outlawed in its native country due to its LGBTQ+ themes. Soft-spoken house husband Haider is hired to dance in an erotic show under pressure to make his own wage, something he goes to great lengths to keep from his prying family. He is drawn to the show’s charismatic trans woman (Alina Khan, who gives a masterful performance); their relationship inevitably develops in unexpected ways. In this arresting feature debut, gender norms and identities are upended through a tale of complicated and flawed acts of love. “Treads on perilous terrain with Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, “confidence and compassion.”