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Saim Sadiq on his banned trans love story, Joyland: ‘We spend our lives trying to hide our desires’

The director’s debut won the Cannes Jury prize, yet was denounced in his native Pakistan. He discusses masculinity, religious censorship and challenging the patriarchy

Saim Sadiq is at a cafe in London ahead of a screening of his debut film, Joyland. The film, which he co-wrote and directed, is a tender love story set in Lahore about an unemployed married man, Haider (Ali Junejo), who comes from a traditional family but takes a job as a backing dancer at an ****** dance theatre where he falls in love with a transgender woman called Biba (Alina Khan).

The film won the Jury prize at Cannes last May. It was the first Pakistani film to be screened at the festival; it has been praised by Riz Ahmed and Malala who both signed on as executive producers.

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