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WATCH: The “highly objectionable” queer romance that was nearly banned in Pakistan finally hits theaters

Image Credit: ‘Joyland,’ Khoosat Films

Joyland was already making history before anyone even had a chance to see it.

When it was announced as a world premiere at the 75th annual Cannes Film Festival this fall, it became the first-ever Pakistani film to play the fest. It would go on to receive critical raves (it holds strong at 100% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes), the Jury Prize, and the special Queer Palm award, which is given out each year to the fest’s best LGBTQ film.

From filmmaker Saim Sadiq, Joyland is set in the bustling city of Lahore, and follows the lives of a middle-class family headed up by a demanding patriarch, Rana (Salmaan Peerzada). He desperately wants grandchildren, which puts him at odds with his youngest son, Haider (Ali Junejo), who is married, yet finds himself falling for a trans woman named Biba (Alina Khan) who he works under at a local dance company.

Through its sensitive and open-minded exploration of gender and sexuality, as well as its breakout supporting turn from trans actress Khan, Joyland has been praised as a daring and boundary-breaking work of art, particularly for the majority Muslim country from which it hails.

Related: This explicit, queer musical twist on a Shakespearean classic was banned in Egypt

So, perhaps its unsurprising that, ahead of its planned theatrical release in Pakistan, the government announced it would block its distribution, with conservative Islamic groups decrying the film as “highly objectionable material which do not conform with the social values and moral standards of our society and is clearly repugnant to the norms of ‘decency and morality.’”

Image Credit: ‘Joyland,’ Khoosat Films

Many activists, including Khan, spoke out against the decision, with the actress telling The Guardian that it made her “very sad. There’s nothing against Islam and I don’t understand how Islam can get endangered by mere films.”

Notably, the film was recently selected as Pakistan’s official entry for Best International Feature Film at 95th Academy Awards, though the proposed ban would’ve thrown its Oscar contention in doubt.

However, in a refreshing surprise, the country’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting decided to reverse the ban, clearing it for domestic screening just days before its November 18 release. Though debate over the film will surely rage on, the decision marks a major win for freedom of speech, as well as queer and trans visibility.

Wider distribution plans for Joyland have yet to be announced, but we can expect more details soon, especially as the film pushes forward with its campaign for Best International Feature Film. In the meantime, you can watch the trailer for the film below:

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