Joyland, a Pakistani film directed by Saim Sadiq, portrays the struggle for
space and belonging. The story revolves around a middle-class Lahore-based
family and their quest for identity.
The physical and metaphorical scarcity of
space pervades the film, affecting the characters' personal and private needs.
The movie focuses on the patriarch's two sons, each with contrasting
personalities and marriages.
Haider, one of the sons, falls in love with a transgender character, Biba,
while working as a background dancer at an erotic theater. The film portrays the
societal constraints on gender, sexuality, and identity, with Mumtaz becoming
the face of oppression.
Joyland is a critique of the cornering labels of identity, reminding us that
when the world defines identity in boxes, there will never be enough space. |