Joy
Directed bySudabeh Mortezai
Written bySudabeh Mortezai
StarringAnwulika Alphonsus
Mariam Sanusi
Angela Ekeleme
Distributed byNetflix
Release dates
  • September 3, 2018 (2018-09-03) (Venice Film Festival)
  • January 18, 2019 (2019-01-18)
Running time
109 minutes
CountryAustria
LanguagesEnglish
German
Nigerian Pidgin

Joy is a 2018 Austrian drama film directed and written by Sudabeh Mortezai. The plot revolves around Joy (Anwulika Alphonsus), a young Nigerian woman who walks the streets to pay off debts while also supporting her family in Nigeria and her daughter in Vienna.[1]

It was selected as the Austrian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards.[2][3] However, the film was disqualified in November 2019, with the Academy stating that the film had too much dialogue in English.[4] The filmmakers disputed the disqualification, arguing that when the parts of the dialogue in Nigerian Pidgin that are unintelligible to English speakers are counted separately from English, English constitutes less than 50% of the entire dialogue and thus the film should be eligible,[5] but the Academy stood by its initial decision.[6]

Premise

Joy is a young Nigerian woman walking the streets to pay off debts while supporting her family in Nigeria and her daughter in Vienna. She’s instructed to supervise Precious, a new teenage girl from Nigeria about to go down the same path as her.[7][8]

Accolades

Joy had its premiere on 30 August 2018 as part of the 75th Venice Film Festival. The film was later invited to the Giornate degli Autori section[9] and was screened and awarded at several international film festivals.[10][11][12]

Cast

Anwulika Alphonsus with her Best Female Lead trophy at the 2020 Austrian Film Award

Release

It was released on January 18, 2019 on Netflix streaming.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Streaming: Netflix's ode to Joy". The Guardian. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  2. ^ "Joy von Sudabeh Mortezai geht ins Rennen um den Auslandsoscar". WKO News. Archived from the original on 4 September 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  3. ^ Roxborough, Scott (4 September 2019). "Oscars: Austria Picks 'Joy' for International Film Category". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  4. ^ "Austria's Oscar Entry, Joy, Disqualified for Having Too Much Dialogue in English". Variety. 11 November 2019. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  5. ^ Rosser, Michael (15 November 2019). "'Joy' filmmakers dispute international feature film Oscar disqualification". Screen Daily. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  6. ^ Thompson, Anne (15 November 2019). "Austria Protests the Academy's Math on Disqualified International Oscar Entry 'Joy'". IndieWire. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  7. ^ "Austrian-Iranian filmmaker Sudabeh Mortezai doubles down on the promise of 'Macondo' with a tough, fully inhabited portrayal of Nigerian migrant sex workers". Variety. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  8. ^ "'Joy': London Review". Screen Daily. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  9. ^ "Sudabeh Mortezai wins the first Hearst Film Award". Giornate degli Autori. Associazione Culturale Giornate degli Autori. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  10. ^ Dale, Martin (8 December 2018). "'Joy' Wins the Golden Star at Marrakech Film Festival". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  11. ^ Ricciardi, Silvia (7 September 2018). "Sex-trafficking drama 'Joy' wins Europa Cinemas Label in Venice". Screen Daily. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  12. ^ Ritman, Alex (20 October 2018). "London Film Festival: Sudabeh Mortezai's 'Joy' Wins Top Prize". The Hollywood Reporter. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved 11 November 2023.

External links

Austrian submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film
London Film Festival Award for Best Film
Grand prix at the Marrakech International Film Festival Awards
Categories