In a subcontinental first, Pakistani movie ‘Joyland’ wins Cannes sidebar Jury 

By PTI

CANNES:  Pakistani movie “Joyland”, written and directed by debutant Saim Sadiq, gained the Jury Prize within the Un Certain Regard part of the seventy fifth Cannes Film Festival on Friday, turning into the first-ever movie from the subcontinent to bag the award.

“Joyland”, a drama a few Lahore household within the agency grip of deep-rooted patriarchy, was pipped to the part’s high award, the Un Certain Regard Prize, by the French movie “Les Pires” (The Worst Ones), helmed by the Paris-based directing duo of Lisa Akoka and Romane Gueret.

“Les Pires” is the second female-helmed movie in two years to win the coveted award. Last 12 months, the Un Certain Regard prize was gained by Kira Kivalenko’s “Unclenching the Fists”.

The award for “Joyland” represents a worldwide breakthrough of immeasurable proportions for the comparatively small Pakistani film trade. Incidentally, “Joyland” additionally gained the Prix Queer Palm, awarded by Jury chaired by filmmaker Catherine Corsini on Friday.

One of the central characters within the movie is a transwoman performed by a real-life transwoman Alina Khan The Un Certain Regard Best Director Award went to the Romanian director Alexandre Belc for “Metronom”, whereas the Best Screenplay Prize was bagged by the Israeli-Palestinian director Maha Haj for “Mediterranean Fever”.

Luxembourg actress Vicky Krieps, for her efficiency in Austrian filmmaker Marie Kreutzer’s “Corsage”, shared one of the best performing award with French actor Adam Bessa’s flip in Nathan Lotfy’s “Harka”. The Un Certain Regard jury was chaired by Italian producer-director-actress Valeria Golino.