Watch Joyland 2022 Apr 2026

Title: Joyland Director: Saim Sadiq Country: Pakistan Language: Urdu Release Year: 2022 Runtime: 126 minutes Awards: Un Certain Regard Jury Prize (Cannes 2022); Pakistan’s official Oscar submission (2023) 1. Executive Summary Joyland , the feature debut of director Saim Sadiq, is a groundbreaking Pakistani drama that explores the intersection of patriarchy, repressed desire, and gender identity. Set in a lower-middle-class neighborhood of Lahore, the film subverts traditional family dynamics by centering on a married man who falls in love with a trans woman dancer. The film is notable not only for its sensitive portrayal of marginalized identities but also for its unprecedented critical success on the global stage, becoming the first Pakistani film to be selected for the Cannes Film Festival. 2. Plot Synopsis The story follows the Rana family, a patriarchal household led by a wheelchair-using, domineering father. His sons are expected to produce a male heir. The elder son, Saleem, has already fathered several daughters. The younger son, Haider, is meek and unemployed, married to the quietly suffering Mumtaz.