Whatever certain audiences think of animation, there’s no denying that there are some that speak universal truths and can tug on our heartstrings, and both The Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea are perfect examples of that. They both told beautiful stories and had gorgeous animation, all of which were accomplished thanks to Irish animation company Cartoon Saloon, and now they’re third time lucky thanks to the breathtaking film that is The Breadwinner.
Based on the novel by Deborah Ellis (who also co-wrote this adaptation with Anita Doron), this film follows a young girl named Parvana who lives with her family in the rough, Taliban-controlled areas of Kabul, Afghanistan just before the start of the war. An unfortunate squabble at a market sees the Taliban arresting Parvana’s father, which causes Parvana to dress up like a boy and do her best to provide for her family and save her father.
Throughout the film, the main narrative is intercut with this fantastical fable told by Parvana that parallels her own struggles in the hostile world and landscape she finds herself and her family in. This is a story of finding and regaining hope and innocence in a dark world, and at the beginning of the film, Parvana doesn’t see much of a future at all, but it’s when her father is arrested that she learns to step up and regain her courage and find hope again. That theme is what this movie so endearing, and throughout, we do care and sympathise with the situation Parvana is in, and we do want her to succeed and find her father in order to bring the whole family together again.
This movie also speaks to Afghan culture in a way that’s not sugar-coated or sentimental, showing that there can be darkness in the current state it is in now, but also saying that there is still a lightness there against the darkness, so it shows a lot of broad strokes in how this movie shows that culture and the people within it and that is another aspect this movie excels at. This film is beautifully hand-drawn, while also having a different style of animation when it comes to the fairy tale sequences which is very reminiscent of paper puppets and those sequences are breathtaking with their rich attention-to-detail. This whole film captures the long rich history and culture of Afghanistan, and hats off to the animation studios involved in bringing that world and culture to life. The voice cast all give credible vocal performances, especially by Shaara Chaudry as Parvana who gives both a maturity and an innocence to her performance, plus the chemistry she has with Soma Bhatia as Shauzia feels genuine and real.
The Breadwinner is a film about perseverance, bravery, courage, finding and reclaiming hope in a hostile landscape, and how spreading kindness is more powerful than spreading hatred and tyranny. It’s not preachy, nor does it talk down to its audience; it’s a mature story with believable characters and powerful themes that are concurrent in this day of age. Cartoon Saloon is a studio that has earned their place alongside the likes of Studio Ghibli, Laika and Pixar as one of the best animation companies out there, and this movie alongside both the equally outstanding Song of the Sea and The Secret of Kells are evidence of that alone.
THE BREADWINNER / CERT: 12 / DIRECTOR: NORA TWOMEY / SCREENPLAY: ANITA DORON / STARRING: SAARA CHAUDRY, SOMA CHHAYA, NOORIN GULAMGAUS, LAARA SADIQ / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
