Globally acclaimed and multi-award-winning Pakistani film Joyland added another feather to its cap after winning the “Best International Film” award at the 2023 Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday, Variety reported. .
The film beat out four other nominations, including Marie Kreutzer’s Corsage, Martica Ramirez Escobar’s Leonor Will Never Die, Davy Choo’s Return to Seoul and Alice Dupp’s Saint Omer.
Directed by Saeem Sadiq, the film highlights the problems of the underprivileged transgender community in Pakistan. The film featured a trans woman in the lead role for the first time in the country.
The film focuses strictly on the lives of transgender people, creating an unbiased narrative of their struggles. It received acclaim and recognition from all over the world.
Joyland made history last year at the 75th Cannes Film Festival in France by winning multiple awards in the “Un Certain Regard” competition, a category that supposedly focuses on artistically daring films. had gone
It was the first Pakistani film to be nominated at Cannes and managed to beat 13 other films nominated at the festival.
The film was also shortlisted for an Oscar.
Joyland was released worldwide but was banned by Pakistan’s censor board for “highly objectionable content”. Due to this ban, the film received heavy criticism and support and after some edits and approval from the Censor Board, the film was released nationwide.
The Independent Spirit Awards are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers.
