ISLAMABAD (AP) 鈥� Pakistan's prime minister has ordered a review of the ban on the country鈥檚 Oscar entry, the movie 鈥淛oyland,鈥� days after the measure was imposed, one of his advisers said.
The movie, which features a love story between a married man and a transgender woman, is Pakistan鈥檚 entry for next year鈥檚 Academy Awards and was a prizewinner at this year鈥檚 Cannes Film Festival.
But the film has caused controversy in Muslim-majority Pakistan and state censors last week banned its showings at movie theaters, reversing a previous all-clear for release.
According to a tweet late on Monday from Salman Sufi, an adviser to Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, a high-level committee is being set up to assess 鈥淛oyland鈥� and review the ban.
Transgender people are considered outcasts by many in Pakistan, despite some progress with a law that protects their rights and a landmark Supreme Court ruling designating them as a third gender,
鈥淭he committee will assess the complaints as well as merits to decide on its release in Pakistan,鈥� Sufi tweeted. He could not immediately be contacted for more details.
The movie's director, Saim Sadiq, called the ban 鈥渦nconstitutional and illegal.鈥�
鈥淛oyland" was scheduled for release in Pakistan on Friday.
The Associated Press
