Saim Sadiq’s 2022 Joyland is more than a beautiful piece of cinema, it is a cultural trailblazer. Based in Pakistan, the melodrama explores gender and sexual identity in a country that criminalizes both. The film follows the life of a young married man, Haider (Ali Junejo), who becomes a backup dancer for a trans performer named Biba (Alina Khan). Out of fear, Haider keeps his new job and relationship a secret from his conservative family. Joyland has received international support for questioning tradition and defying gender norms. Unsurprisingly, it has been banned in Pakistan's heavily populated Punjab province on behalf of “un-Islamic” material. To make it even more upsettingly queer, the film stars Pakistan’s first-ever trans lead, Alina Khan! If art is an act of resistance, Joyland is a fucking force. Also! Joyland recently won Best International Film at the 2023 Independent Spirit Awards! It’s not easily streamable so don’t miss it!