Asia Society at the Movies: Joyland

Asia Society Southern California is thrilled to be partnering with the Pakistan Arts Council Los Angeles to co-host a special screening of Joyland, followed by a Q&A.

Joyland was named "Best International Film" at the 38th Independent Spirit Awards, is the first Pakistani film to be shortlisted for "Best International Feature" at the Oscars, and was the first Pakistani film to premiere at Cannes International Film Festival.

Doors Open: 1:00 p.m.
Film Screening: 1:30 p.m.
Q&A: 3:50 p.m.

Synopsis:
The debut feature from writer-director Saim Sadiq, Joyland explores the many sides of love and desire in a patriarchal society. Gentle and timid, Haider (Ali Junejo) lives with his wife Mumtaz (Rasti Farooq), his father, and his elder brother’s family in Lahore, Pakistan. Following a long spell of unemployment, Haider finally lands a job at a Bollywood-style burlesque, telling his family he is a theater manager, when in actuality, he is a backup dancer. The unusual position shakes up the steadfast traditional dynamics of his household and enables Haider to break out of his shell. As he acclimates to the new job, Haider becomes infatuated with the strong-willed trans woman Biba (Alina Khan) who runs the show—an unforeseen partnership that opens his eyes and ultimately his worldview, in ways both unexpected and intimate.

Director: Saim Sadiq

Genre: Drama

Run Time: 127 Minutes

Language: Urdu, Punjabi

In Partnership with:

Pakistan Arts Council Los Angeles was formed in 1991 to promote the arts and culture of Pakistan by organizing exhibitions, book talks, lectures, plays, visits to museums, public concerts and other cultural events. The aim is to further cultural awareness and understanding through the arts. The USC Pacific Asia Museum is one of only four institutions in the US dedicated exclusively to the arts and culture of Asia and Pacific Islands. Learn about Pakistan’s rich culture through movie screenings, music concerts, performing arts, exhibitions, festivals, and workshops in collaboration with USC Pacific Asia Museum, Grand Performances, and the Muckentaler Center.

Promotional Support by:

Speakers:

Apoorva Guru Charan, Producer

Apoorva Guru Charan is an LA-based producer who was born in India and raised in Northern California. Charan started her career as a digital producer on series such as Asia's Got Talent and X Factor Indonesia.

An alumnus of Columbia University's MFA Film program, Charan has produced over twenty short films including LONELY BLUE NIGHT, which won the Audience Award for Best Short Film at AFI Fest 2020, was an official selection at the Atlanta FF, and is available to stream on HBO Max; 空间 DISTANCE, which won Film Pipeline's Best Film Award in 2020; and INTERIORS, which premiered at the TIFF in September 2018 and was an official selection for Clermont-Ferrand 2019.

Charan was a 2019 Project Involve creative producing fellow, a 2020 Film Independent Creative Producing Lab fellow, a 2021 Women in Film Emerging Producers fellow, and has worked in development at Big Beach, Walt Disney Studios' live action department, and at Blue Harp.

JOYLAND, her producerial feature debut, helped launch the film and tv production company—all caps. Through all caps, Charan aims to produce refreshing and unique narratives for a global audience.

Lauren Mann, Producer

Lauren Mann is partner of Astrakan Film AB, a company that produces and finances independent films.

Shortly after her first foray into producing on the 2010 film Stone, she worked with Astrakan Film AB founder and filmmaker William Olsson Junebug to develop RELIANCE, shot in Sweden. Mann and William produced SWISS ARMY MAN, directed by The Daniels and starring Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe, which sold to A24 after critical acclaim at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival where it took home the Best Director prize.

Mann executive produced the film ONLY; produced William Olsson’s third feature film LOST GIRLS AND LOVE HOTELS, shot entirely in Tokyo; and produced with Astrakan Film AB financing Paul Schrader’s latest film THE CARD COUNTER, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, starring Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Willem Dafoe, and Tye Sheridan.

Mann’s latest projects are as producer and co-financier through Astrakan Film AB is Saim Sadiq’s first feature film, JOYLAND, which premiered as an Un Certain Regard selection at Cannes 2022, and as producer with Astrakan Film AB financing alongside Endeavor Content the film LA COCINA, in Mexico City, directed by Alonso Ruizpalacios and starring Raul Briones and Rooney Mara.

Saim Sadiq, Director 

Saim Sadiq is a Pakistani filmmaker whose film Joyland is the first Pakistani feature to premiere at the 75th Cannes Film Festival in Un Certain Regard. 

His short film Darling was the first Pakistani film to premiere at the 76th Venice Film Festival, where it won the Orrizonti Prize for Best Short Film. Darling was also an official selection at the Toronto International Film Festival 2019, won a Special Jury Mention award at South by Southwest 2020, and was acquired for distribution by Focus Features. 

His previous short film Nice Talking to You was an official selection at South by Southwest 2019, Palm Springs International Shortsfest 2019, made the BAFTA Shortlist for Best Student Film, and won Vimeo’s Best Director award at Columbia University Film Festival 2018. It also won the Kodak Student Scholarship Gold Award. 

Sadiq recently wrote the original pilot “It Never Rains in Cairo” for MakeReady with Brad Weston and Scott Silver executive producing. Currently, he is writing the film adaptation of New York Times bestseller Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet; Oscar®-nominated Bing Liu is attached to direct. 

Sadiq received his bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the Lahore University of Management Sciences and his MFA in film directing from Columbia University. 

Moderators:

Misha Hassan

Misha Hassan (they/she/he) is a writer, educator and organizer from Lahore, Pakistan currently based in Los Angeles. They believe in the power of community deeply as well as advocating for safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ South Asians, which led them to serve as a Board Co-Chair for Satrang. Hassan works as a family and community coordinator at an education nonprofit during the day and is also a screenwriter whose goal is to tell stories which center the narratives of South Asian women, non-binary people and queer communities. Whether it’s a script, their current work in education spaces or a stand up comedy set, Hassan hopes to infuse their experiences and voice into everything they do. 

Riaz Patel

Riaz Patel is an Executive Producer/Director of TV series & media projects in Los Angeles with a specific focus on transformative, perspective shifting projects. He has been nominated for two Emmy Awards, and an NAACP Image Award for creatively leading shows for NBC/Universal, Lifetime, Discovery, and many others.