Govt Forms Committee to Decide Joyland's Fate

Pakistan’s first feature film to win a Cannes prize, Joyland, will go through further scrutiny by an eight-member committee formed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which is review and decide on the film’s fate in the country. According to the details, the decision was taken after outrage amongst fans, political figures and several people from the film industry over the ban of the movie in the country.

Joyland, which is also Pakistan’s official submission to the Oscars, was banned by the Censor Board of Film Certification (CBFC) upon receiving complaints by people over “objectionable content” in the the movie and the movie has been at the center of two social media trends, #ReleaseJoyland and #BanJoyland.

It is pertinent to mention that in order for Joyland to be considered an eligible entry for the Oscars, it needs to go through a “theatrical qualifying run of at least seven consecutive days in the same commercial motion picture theater, during which period screenings must occur at least three times daily, with at least one screening beginning between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. daily,” as per the rules for the submission of a feature film.

We don’t want to see a certain group of people in a human light like normal human beings. Because as long as jokes are made about them, it doesn’t go against our social values, but if we show them like normal human beings, then suddenly it goes against our social values and moral standards.
Saim Sadiq, Joyland’s director

However, the Government has listened to complaints against the said film being “contrary to social norms,” and directed the Censor Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to conduct a full review of ‘Joyland’ immediately in order to take a final decision about its suitability for screening in Pakistan.

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