In a rather patriarchal Pakistani family, Haider hopes to maintain the family tree by bringing a boy into the world. However, he limits himself to the "feminine" tasks of housework, ironing shirts and playing with nieces, while his wife Nucchi thrives on her work in a beauty salon. On the day he gets a job in a cabaret, Haider falls under the spell of Biba, a sensual and magnetic trans woman and dancer. This encounter triggers a realignment of roles and desires that plunges the family into drama.
Joyland may not aim for the greatest realism, but the relationships between the people featured in it never lapse into caricature. The film is imbued with the same gentleness as its protagonist. The sharp direction reinforces the indictment of the ravages of patriarchy in Pakistan. Queer Palm Cannes 2022.
