The Breadwinner | |
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Directed by | Nora Twomey |
Screenplay by | |
Based on | The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis |
Produced by |
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Starring |
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Cinematography | Sheldon Lisoy |
Edited by | Darragh Byrne |
Music by | |
Production companies |
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Distributed by |
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Release dates |
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Running time | 94 minutes |
Countries |
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Language | English |
Budget | $1 million |
Box office | $4,442,537 [6] [7] |
The Breadwinner is a 2017 animated drama film from Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon directed by Nora Twomey. Based on the best-selling novel by Deborah Ellis, the film was an international co-production among Canada, the Republic of Ireland and Luxembourg, and received a limited release on 17 November 2017. [8]
The film had its world premiere at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival in September. [9] The Breadwinner received a nomination for Best Animated Feature at the 90th Academy Awards, but lost to Coco .
In 2001, Parvana is an eleven-year-old girl who lives in Kabul under the Taliban's Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan just as the War on Terror is beginning. Her father, Nurullah, is a former school teacher who became a hawker after losing his left leg in the Soviet–Afghan War. One day, during supper, he is unjustly arrested after Idrees, a young and volatile Taliban thug, thinks he insulted him earlier while the two were selling goods in the market. Because the Taliban forbids women from going out without a male relative, Parvana's family is left without someone to support them, as her elder brother Sulayman died years ago, leaving her, her mother Fattema, her elder sister Soraya, and her youngest infant brother Zaki. When Parvana and Fattema try to go to the prison to appeal Nurullah's arrest, a thug beats Fattema after she shows him a photograph of Nurullah and threatens to arrest them if they go outside again. Parvana comforts Zaki by telling the story of a boy on a quest to retrieve his village's seeds from an evil elephant named the Elephant King.
Later, Parvana tries to buy food for her family, but the hawkers cannot sell her any due to fear of the Taliban. A few thugs spot Parvana and chase her, and she drops the bag Fattema gave her while running. Parvana eventually makes it back home. To support her family, she decides to cut her hair and dress as a boy. She starts calling herself "Aatish", claiming to be Nurullah's nephew. The plan works, and Parvana is able to get both food and money. On the advice of a friend named Shauzia, who is another young girl disguised as a boy, Parvana tries to bribe a prison guard so she can see Nurullah, but the guard sends her away, and so she works to save up more money for a larger bribe, taking on hard labor jobs with Shauzia, who is trying to save enough money to escape her abusive father. Meanwhile, Fattema is forced to write to a relative in Mazar, arranging marriage for Soraya in exchange for shelter and protection. Parvana also meets Razaq, the former patrol partner of Idrees; the illiterate Razaq pays her to read him a letter informing him that his wife was killed by a land mine. He befriends her and continues to meet with her so that she can teach him how to read and write.
Parvana and Shauzia take a hard labor job where Idrees was also present. He somehow recognizes her, and after being hit abruptly by Parvana with a brick, tries to kill her as she flees with Shauzia. Parvana and Shauzia manage to hide, and Idrees is abruptly called away to fight in the United States invasion of Afghanistan. When Parvana returns home, Fattema pleads with her to stop the dangerous plot, telling her that her relatives accepted Soraya and that they will be collected the day after next. Parvana agrees on the condition that she gets to visit Nurullah in prison to tell him where they are going, as Razaq has a cousin who works there that will let her in. She tearfully bids farewell to Shauzia, promising that they will meet each other again sometime in the future, which she predicts will be in exactly twenty years. However, as Parvana travels to the prison, Fattema's cousin arrives early and forces them to come with him without Parvana, as the war is starting and the roads will soon be blocked. Fattema eventually stands up to her cousin in a furious manner, refusing to let him take them further, and he leaves the family stranded on the road.
Parvana arrives at the prison, where she finds Razaq. After Parvana reveals that she is Nurullah's daughter, Razaq informs her that his cousin has left to fight, but he will retrieve Nurullah. Parvana witnesses the executions of weak prisoners who are unable to fight. Terrified, she gathers her courage to stay by finishing the tale of the boy, who she turns into Sulayman, revealing that he died after picking up a toy he found in the middle of the street, which was actually a land mine, and it exploded when he picked it up. Razaq is shot on the shoulder while rescuing the weak Nurullah, but the wound was not fatal and he reunites the two. Parvana takes Nurullah away, where they will soon reunite with the rest of the family and escape from Afghanistan together, as the two continue the story they were telling each other at the start of the film.
In May 2016, it was announced that key animation for the film had commenced. [8] The Breadwinner was a co-production between Aircraft Pictures in Canada, Melusine Productions in Luxembourg, and Cartoon Saloon in Ireland.
The Breadwinner was executive produced by Angelina Jolie who worked with director Nora Twomey to bring the novel to the screen. Twomey is an Irish animator, director, screenwriter, producer and voice actress. She is also a founding partner in Cartoon Saloon, an Irish animation studio based in Kilkenny that did the key animation for The Breadwinner. Twomey commented on the serious theme in her animation film, saying "I think that animation is very broad... so I don't see why it needs to be thought of as just a babysitting device... I wanted to go for the same audience that Deborah had gone for — young adults and adults as well. The film doesn't really talk down to anyone." [12]
In a 2018 interview with Twomey, she revealed that Angelina Jolie was involved in the casting of the voice actors, in particular the Canadian talent Saara Chaudry who voices Parvana, as Twomey recalls "She [Chaudry] has such empathy, intellect and emotional depth, a unique talent for an 11 year old actor." Choudry's personality also played a role in shaping Parvana's mannerisms, as Twomey explains in another interview, “Seeing what Saara was able to comprehend as an actor, as an artist, and as a child gave me an understanding of how to craft our film [in a way] that doesn't take for granted what children are afraid of or not afraid of.” [13]
Twomey also explained that Jolie's insight as UN Goodwill ambassador at Afghan girls' schools was helpful in making the film, as she reportedly offered advice on the intricacies of Afghan behavior codes and the cultural atmosphere of Afghanistan. Mimi Polk Gitlin, producer of the feminist classic Thelma and Louise, was also involved as an executive producer. [14] [13]
Twomey also explained that she was careful to cast voice actors of Afghan heritage and to work with an Afghan dialect coach. She says, “there was so much input from people there at the time, to make sure it was not judgemental but also empathetic”. The Kabul-born dialect coach, Kawa Abu, also voices the character of Razaq. According to Twomey, the story-within-a-story about the mythical Elephant king was inspired by Guillermo Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth. [14] The texture and depth of the vivid fairy-tale fable and distinctive cut-out look was created using Nuke compositing software, from the Toronto-based Guru Studio. [13]
During the development of the screenplay, screenwriter Anita Doron worked together with the American-Afghan artist Aman Mojadidi, to balance an Afghan perspective with a global perspective to capture the universal tone of the film. The first draft of the screenplay also saw contributions from the Afghan Women's Organization, as various Afghan refugees from different regions and tribes offered their perspectives and deepened the film's understanding of the Afghan culture. [12]
School children along with their parents were invited for an early screening of the film, as Twomey noted that parents became emotional and teary whereas children, taking note from Parvana, were cheerful and chatty. [14]
The film's music is composed by the brothers Mychael and Jeff Danna. Its palette of timbres sways between the austere, to underscore the real life sequences, and the more colorful to illustrate the parallel fantasy story. Performers include a young girls choir whose participation was arranged through the Afghanistan National Institute of Music. [15]
The film earned $17,395 its opening weekend in North America. [7]
As of August 17,2018 [update] , The Breadwinner has grossed $313,381 in the United States and Canada, and $2,954,368 internationally for a worldwide total of $3,266,749. [16]
On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 95% based on 106 reviews, with an average rating of 7.9/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "The Breadwinner's stunning visuals are matched by a story that dares to confront sobering real-life issues with uncommon—and richly rewarding—honesty." [17] On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating to reviews, the film has a score of 78 out of 100 based on reviews from 20 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [18]
Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times gave the film a positive review, writing "...'The Breadwinner' reminds us yet again that the best of animation takes us anywhere at any time and makes us believe." [19] Mark Kermode, writing for The Guardian , gave the film 5/5 stars, writing "Along with the eerie beauty of the animation there is a salving streak of humour that softens this tale's sharper edges, reminding us that – for children – laughter and bravery walk hand in hand." The review also compares the defiant feminist spirit of The Breadwinner to that of the 2007 French-Iranian animation film Persepolis. Furthermore, the music by Mychael and Jeff Danna is described as "lyrical and expressive", for evoking elements of Eastern culture and the enchanted story world. The director, Nora Twomey, is praised as the "real heroine of the story" for her directorial debut. [20]
The New York Times selected The Breadwinner as its NYT Critic's pick and further praising Twomey for her "nuanced way with characterization and action". The voice cast, in particular Saara Chaudry who voices Parvana, was described as "terrific". [21]
Variety 's Peter Debruge compares Parvana's vivid emerald eyes to those of the Afghan girl on the June 1985 cover of National Geographic, explaining that both characters' eyes challenge viewers with their defiance and how "her [Parvana's] spirit burns every bit as strongly". Though the storyline is criticized for its rushed ending, the review praises its palette and musical score, and also recognizes The Breadwinner as "nothing short of exceptional, celebrating as it does a young woman who faces adversity head-on and who relies on her own creativity, both as a storyteller and in practical situations, to adapt to whatever obstacles she faces." [22]
Vanessa H. Larson of The Washington Post gave the film three and a half out of four stars, praising the animation, for the realistic portrayal of characters as well as cultural setting of Kabul, while criticizing the story for being difficult to follow at times. [23]
The deputy country director of Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan, Abdul Rahim Ahmad Parwani, says "After the movie was over and the lights were turned back on, I saw tears in the eyes of many Afghans. I couldn't stop my own tears," as he explains that many Afghans connected strongly with The Breadwinner. Another Afghan activist, Mina Sharifi, who is the director of Sisters4Sisters - a mentorship program for Afghan girls, also expresses her appreciation for the film's eye for detail, as she says, "the clothing, the food, the family atmosphere, even the cane that the grandfather carried was carved and looked just like it was from here, I haven't seen another film on Afghanistan that takes the time to do that." [24]
The film has received ten Annie Award nominations, winning Best Independent Animated Feature and lost all nominations to Coco, making it the most nominations for an adult animated film ever at the awards.
My Father's Dragon is a 1948 children's novel by Ruth Stiles Gannett, with illustrations by her stepmother Ruth Chrisman Gannett. The novel is about a young boy, Elmer, who runs away to Wild Island to rescue a baby dragon.
Mychael Danna is a Canadian composer of film and television scores. He won both the Golden Globe and Oscar for Best Original Score for Life of Pi. He has also won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special in his work on the miniseries World Without End.
Brenda Chapman is an American animator, screenwriter, storyboard artist, and director. In 1998, she became the first woman to direct an animated feature from a major studio, DreamWorks Animation's The Prince of Egypt. In 2012, she directed the Disney/Pixar film Brave with Mark Andrews, becoming the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
Angelina Jolie is an American actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian. The recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Tony Award and three Golden Globe Awards, she has been named Hollywood's highest-paid actress multiple times.
Jeff Danna is a Canadian film composer. He has composed or co-composed scores for a wide range of films and television, including The Boondock Saints (1999), Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004), Silent Hill (2006), The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009), The Good Dinosaur (2015), Storks (2016), The Breadwinner (2017), The Addams Family (2019), Onward (2020), Guillermo Del Toro’s Tales of Arcadia (2019-2021), Nora Twomey’s My Father’s Dragon (2022) and Julia (2022).
Deborah Ellis is a Canadian fiction writer and activist. Her themes are often concerned with the sufferings of persecuted children in the Third World.
The Breadwinner, is a children's novel by Deborah Ellis, first published in 2001. As of October 2013, the English-language edition of the book has had a run of 39 editions. The title of the book refers to the role of the protagonist, 11-year-old Parvana, who is forced by circumstances to be the breadwinner for her family in a war-torn Taliban-era in Afghanistan.
Cartoon Saloon is an Irish animation film, short film and television studio based in Kilkenny which provides film TV and short film services. The studio is best known for its animated feature films The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, The Breadwinner and Wolfwalkers. Their works have received five Academy Award nominations, their first four feature length works all received nominations for Best Animated Feature and one for Best Animated Short Film. The company also developed the cartoon series Skunk Fu!, Puffin Rock, Dorg Van Dango and Vikingskool. As of 2020, the studio employs 300 animators.
Thomas "Tomm" Moore is an Irish filmmaker, animator, illustrator and comics artist. He co-founded Cartoon Saloon with Nora Twomey and Paul Young, an animation studio and production company based in Kilkenny, Ireland. His first three feature films, The Secret of Kells (2009), co-directed with Nora Twomey, Song of the Sea (2014) and Wolfwalkers (2020), co-directed with Ross Stewart, have received critical acclaim and were all nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
Nora Twomey is an Irish animator, director, screenwriter, producer and voice actress. She is best known as the co-founder of Cartoon Saloon, alongside Tomm Moore and Paul Young, an animation studio and production company, based in Kilkenny City, Ireland. She is best known for co-directing The Secret of Kells and directing The Breadwinner. Her work on both films earned Academy Award nominations for Best Animated Feature.
Maleficent is a 2014 American fantasy film starring Angelina Jolie as the title character in a live-action retelling of her villainous role in Walt Disney's 1959 animated film Sleeping Beauty, itself an adaptation of Charles Perrault's 1697 fairy tale. The film is directed by Robert Stromberg from a screenplay by Linda Woolverton. It also stars Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, and Lesley Manville in supporting roles.
American actress Angelina Jolie made her screen debut in the comedy film Lookin' to Get Out (1982), acting alongside her father Jon Voight. Eleven years later, she appeared in her next feature, the low-budget film Cyborg 2 (1993), a commercial failure. She then starred as a teenage hacker in the science fiction thriller Hackers (1995), which went on to be a cult film despite performing poorly at the box-office. Jolie's career prospects improved with a supporting role in the made-for-television film George Wallace (1997), for which she received the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Television Film. She made her breakthrough the following year in HBO's television film Gia (1998). For her performance in the title role of fashion model Gia Carangi, she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Film.
The Annie Award for Best Animated Feature – Independent is an Annie Award introduced in 2015, awarded annually.
TVPaint Animation is a 2D paint and digital animation software package developed by TVPaint Developpement SARL based in Lorraine, France. Originally released for Amiga in 1991, version 3.0 (1994) introduced support for other platforms. In 1999, the last Amiga version 3.59 was released as free download. TVPaint Animation currently runs on Mac, Windows, Linux, and Android operating systems.
Saara Chaudry is a Canadian actress. She is most noted for her performances in The Breadwinner, for which she won an ACTRA Award for Best Voice Performance and was a finalist for Voice Acting in a Feature Production at the 45th Annie Awards, and The Curse of Clara: A Holiday Tale, for which she was a shortlisted Canadian Screen Award nominee for Best Performance in an Animated Television Program or Series at the 5th Canadian Screen Awards. She has also appeared in the television series Combat Hospital, Degrassi, Odd Squad, Max & Shred and Dino Dana.
Sahraa Karimi is an Afghan film director and teacher currently based in Italy, who was notably the first female chairperson of the Afghan Film Organization. She has directed 30 short films, 3 documentary films and one fiction film Hava, Maryam, Ayesha which had the world premier at the 76th Venice Film Festival. Prior to the fall of Kabul to the hands of the Taliban, she was the first and the only woman to be directing Afghanistan's film entity.
Louise Bagnall is an Irish filmmaker and animator who works as a creative director with Cartoon Saloon in Kilkenny.
My Father's Dragon is a 2022 animated fantasy adventure comedy film directed by Nora Twomey with a screenplay by Meg LeFauve who co-wrote the story with John Morgan. It is based on the 1948 children's novel of the same name by Ruth Stiles Gannett. The film is also dedicated to Morgan who died from cancer during the film's production in March 2016. It stars the voices of Jacob Tremblay, Gaten Matarazzo, Golshifteh Farahani, Dianne Wiest, Rita Moreno, Chris O'Dowd, Judy Greer, Alan Cumming, Yara Shahidi, Jackie Earle Haley, Whoopi Goldberg, and Ian McShane.
Paul Young is an Irish animator, illustrator, cartoonist, producer, and director. He is the CEO of Cartoon Saloon, a four-times Academy Award nominated and BAFTA nominated Irish animation studio. He co-founded the studio in 1999 with Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey. In 2015 he was a finalist in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He has been a board member of Animation Ireland.
Dorg van Dango is an animated television series that first aired on RTÉ in Ireland on March 3, 2020, and on Family Channel in Canada on August 1, 2020. The series is created by Fabian Erlinghäuser and Nora Twomey and is produced by Cartoon Saloon and WildBrain Studios, and is made in association with Family Channel and RTÉ.