The Pakistani Academy Selection Committee has nominated ‘Joyland’ for the country’s submission for the Oscars in the ‘International Feature Film Award’ category.

Committee Chairperson Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy said that, ‘We are sending our best film to compete in the Academy Awards’.

“Joyland gives us hope that Pakistani cinema is finally leaving a mark on the world stage. This may just be the year we get noticed! Congratulations to the entire filmmaking team,” said Obaid-Chinoy

“I am humbled, thankful and excited about this immense honour to represent Pakistan at the Oscars with a film that I truly believe is an honest and compassionate representation of who we are as people,” said director Saim Sadiq. “I hope that the joys and sorrows of these characters foster empathy among the viewers in Pakistan and abroad.”

Pakistan’s first competitive entry at the festival, Joyland premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival in France, where the film won two awards and received rave reviews.

In his first film, Sadiq tells the story of a married man who joins a dance group and falls in love with the lead, a trans woman.

The cast includes Ali Junejo, Alina Khan, Rasti Farooq, Sarwat Gilani, Sohail Sameer, Salman Peerzada, and Sania Saeed.

Pakistan has submitted 10 entries to the Oscars in recent years with no nominations as of yet. Its last entry was in 2020 with Sarmad Khoosat’s Circus Of Life.

The 95th Academy Awards are scheduled to take place on March 12, 2023.