Joyland15

Directed by Saim Sadiq | Pakistan | 2022 | 2h 7m | Punjabi & Urdu w/ English subtitles | Starring Ali Junejo, Rasti Farooq, Alina Khan, Sarwat Gilani, Salmaan Peerzada

Fearing the disapproval of his father, the youngest son in a traditional Pakistani family secretly takes a job as a backup dancer in a Bollywood-style erotic burlesque. The situation becomes even more complicated when he soon becomes infatuated with the strong-willed trans woman who runs the show. A riveting queer drama sensitively exploring the limiting nature of gender expectations and the corrosiveness of patriarchy. Jury Prize Winner at the Cannes Film Festival.

Reviews

‘Joyland’s quiet power comes not through melodrama, which Sadiq scrupulously avoids, but its deep affection for its characters. It’s a modern tale of changing gender roles and the patriarchal crisis that could just as easily have taken place in New York.’
★★★★
Kaleem Aftab, Time Out

‘The frame moves slowly, if at all, but it always brims with physical and emotional energy’
★★★★
Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Joyland between March 18, 2023 and March 23, 2023.

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What else is on?

Today (Sunday 2nd April)

15:30

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On PG
1h 30m
An offbeat and wholeheartedly moving animated tale about a one-inch-tall walking-talking sea shell who becomes a global superstar. Nominated for Best Animated Feature at this year’s Oscars and BAFTAs.

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17:45

1976 15
1h 36m | Spanish w/ English subtitles
Tense and atmospheric drama about a middle-class woman who is drawn into helping a political dissident during the dictatorial reign of General Pinochet. Winner of Best Debut Film at London Film Festival.

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20:00

Rye Lane 15
1h 22m
A day in the life of two young Londoners who connect while trying to get over their recent romantic heartbreaks. Raine Allen Miller’s debut is an upbeat romcom bursting with visual vibrancy and infectious charm.

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Tomorrow (Monday 3rd April)

18:15

After Hours 15
1h 37m
Martin Scorsese's frantic screwball comedy following an uptight office worker's nightmarish late-night odyssey on the streets of New York as he tries to get home with no money.

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20:30

The Middle Man 15
1h 35m
Darkly humorous satirical drama following the life of a newly employed “Middle Man”, hired by a small-town community to be the bearer of bad news after a sudden outbreak of accidents and deaths.

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Plan your visit

Our beautiful art deco inspired auditorium can be found just off East Oxford's Cowley Road. We are open 7 days a week. We open the cinema and box office 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of each film, and the Box Office then closes 10 minutes after the film starts. We don’t show adverts, just a couple of trailers, so don't be late as the film itself starts very close to the advertised time!