This year, 2022, seems like the year for international recognition of talented Pakistani artists. After singer Arooj Aftab’s Grammy win this month, a feature film ‘Joyland’ by Pakistani filmmaker Saim Sadiq has made it to the coveted Cannes Film Festival.

Joyland has been selected for the Uncertain Regard category and will be the first Pakistani feature to be screened at the 75th edition of the international film festival.

Cannes Film Festival is one of the world’s most widely publicised film festivals that celebrates cinema and highlights the diversity of cinematic creation through different selections.

Speaking to Aaj News, Joyland's co-producer and casting director Sana Jafri said that the team is "super excited to attend the festival at Cannes in May and represent Pakistan."

"It's an honour and a pleasure to be nominated at the biggest film festival in the world. Joyland is the first Pakistani feature film to be selected and nominated at Festival De Cannes. So it's not just a proud moment for the cast and crew, but for the entire nation," she said.

"We can't wait to share details of our cast and crew with the world. Insha'Allah, all in due time. Until then, let's celebrate this historical achievement as our own," added Jafri.

She also clarified that she's "not an actor in the film. Some people wrote that but that's false."

Many celebrities have congratulated the filmmaker and the team for the “great achievement.”

Actor Osman Khalid Butt dubbed it a “huge moment for Pakistani cinema.”

Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan Androulla Kaminara tweeted, “The arts in Pakistan need to be promoted further since the talent I have witnessed there is immense but is not sufficiently known globally.”

This will be Sadiq’s second time attending the Cannes Film Festival, he first went when his short film Darling was featured in 2019. The same year Pakistani filmmaker Iram Parveen Bilal’s film Wakhri made it to a fast track finance programme at the festival.