★★★★ – Guardian. When a married man takes a job at a Bollywood-style burlesque theatre in Lahore, he meets and falls in love with a beautiful trans performer. A brave, boundary-breaking filmmaking about identity and repressed desires.

"★★★★ – a delicate, intelligent and emotionally rich film" – Guardian

"An aching consideration of gender and sexuality" – Hollywood Reporter

★★★★ – The Upcoming

★★★★ – Time Out

This free screening will be followed by a Q&A on 'Super-diversity' with Professor Katy Bennett (School of Geology, Geography, and the Environment, University of Leicester) and a representative from Trade Sexual Health.

Pakistan’s first official entry to Cannes (where it won the Queer Palm and Un Certain Regard Jury Prize) follows Haider, the youngest son in a patriarchal family who cares for his wheelchair-bound father who is desperate for a grandchild.

After Haider takes a job at a Bollywood-style burlesque theatre, he meets and falls in love with a beautiful trans performer. Joyland is brave, boundary-breaking filmmaking about identity and repressed desires.

Originally banned in Pakistan, the country then revoked the ban (excluding Punjab where the ban remains) after the film gained international and critical acclaim.

This event is part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025 and was made possible thanks to funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Further details and information on other events being held in Leicester and across the UK can be found here.