The Breadwinner

Based on Deborah Ellis’ best-selling novel, The Breadwinner is an animated drama directed by Nora Twomey (The Secret of Kells). The film is executive produced by Angelina Jolie and had its world premiere at TIFF this past September. It features the voices of Saara Chaudry, Soma Chhaya, Laara Sadiq, Shaista Latif, and Ali Badshah.

The Breadwinner tells the story of Parvana, an 11-year-old girl growing up under the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001. When her father is wrongfully arrested, Parvana disguises herself as a boy in order to support her family. With dauntless perseverance, Parvana draws strength from the stories her father told her, and ultimately risks her life to discover if he is still alive. Equal parts thrilling and enchanting, The Breadwinner is a timely and inspiring tale about the transcendent power of stories, and their potential to unite and heal us all.

“I read the book, and I just felt a lot for Parvana,” says Twomey. “The universality of that character against the matter-of- fact nature of the way that the book is written. It isn’t melodramatic, but it’s told from a very real perspective, I suppose. It doesn’t talk down to young adults. I think that just reading about Parvana was my major inspiration. I could see how it would make a beautiful and thoughtful film, and I knew which people I wanted to work with to do so.”

The Breadwinner is rated PG.