After Malala Yousafzai, British-Pakistani Oscar-winner Riz Ahmed, has boarded Saim Sadiq's directorial Joyland as an executive producer and cannot be more than happy.
Ahmed's production house, Left Handed films, has taken Joyland under its wing as Oscars 2023 inched closer.
The union could prove fruitful as Ahmed's several productions have managed to bag Oscar nominations.
However, last year Ahmed won his first Oscar for the critically acclaimed live-action short film The Long Goodbye, which he co-wrote with Aneil Karia.
Taking to Instagram, Ahmed shared he is elated over the collaboration, "We are so proud at Left Handed Films to be a part of Joyland. Our motto is “go left” and Saim Sadiq’s unique film does just that," the Emmy-winning artist penned.
“Joyland is ground-breaking. And it’s easy to get lost in all the ways that it is; the first Pakistani film at Cannes, the first award-winner, the first to be Oscar-shortlisted, and a queer love story that has overcome multiple obstacles to its release. But more important than any of the glass ceilings it smashes is how this film so masterfully breaks our hearts."
Their statement further read, “Saim Sadiq’s filmmaking is both understated and gut-wrenching. His writing is consistently unexpected — both unflinchingly joyous and devastating. Every scene is so elegantly composed yet bursting with vividly raw characters and performances. Joyland is one of the best films of the year, and against all odds of resources and marketing budgets, it’s been amazing to see festival juries, audiences, and critics shouting that from the rooftops."
Sadiq on the other hand was grateful, "I am excited that Riz and Left Handed Films will be joining Joyland as Executive Producers." The filmmaker further shared, "Riz and his production company have a track record of exquisite taste and having them on board further affirms our belief in both the urgency and universality of Joyland."
A tale of the sexual revolution, the film tells the story of the youngest son in a patriarchal family who is expected to produce a baby boy with his wife. He, instead, joins an erotic dance theatre and falls for the troupe's director, a trans woman.
