“Is it a happy story or a sad story?” asks Parvana

“Just wait and see”

The wait is not long as theaters around the globe open their doors today to tell the story of The Breadwinner – a young Afghan girl who had to disguise herself as a boy to support her family.

The story of Parvana, a young Afghan girl who took it upon her shoulders to save her family
Parvana, the young Afghan girl who took it upon her shoulders to save her family

From Cartoon Saloon, the creators of the Academy Award nominees Song of the Sea and The Secret of Kells, and the extraordinarily talented Nora Twomey comes yet another promising tale of true strength and bravery from war-stricken Afghanistan.

Having lost her father to the Taliban prison, 11-year-old Parvana cuts her hair and disguises herself as a boy to support her family of four. Drawing strength from the stories he has told her, she sets out on a quest to find her father and reunite the broken family.

You can watch the official trailer here –

Want a good reason to watch this movie other than the fact that it deals with strong content, real-life issues and has been set to frame by masterminds who have proved their magical flair on screen?

I’ll give you 4.

#1

Based on a Bestseller

The Breadwinner is based on a bestselling children’s novel of the same name by the amazing Canadian author and activist, Deborah Ellis. Deborah travels around the world in search of inspiration for her stories and found this one in the Afghan refugee camps of Pakistan.

Is the book any good? The readers loved it so much that she complied to their requests and wrote 3 sequels to it which have been published in 17 languages.

#2

Angelina Jolie, Angelina Jolie, and Angelina Jolie

It’s no wonder that the noted humanitarian and Special Envoy for the UNHC for Refugees took a special interest in the movie as the Executive Producer. She believes in the story and the amount of “care and commitment that [the filmmakers] put into the film to make it so authentic” [1]. I think Angelina’s seal of approval should be enough to ensure quality content.

The cast and crew of The Breadwinner at the Animation Is Film Fest in Hollywood
The cast and crew of The Breadwinner at the Animation Is Film Fest in Hollywood

#3

Not Frozen

This is not the kind of animated movie that will delude kids with fantastical fairy tales and spontaneous songs (not being cynical, I love delusion). Instead, it deals with real problems like oppression and misogyny while emphasising the power of stories to sustain hope and help us cope through dark times. Stories remain in our hearts even when all else is gone.

#4

Front-runner for the Oscars

By winning both the Grand Prize and the Audience Awards at the inaugural Animation Is Film Festival, The Breadwinner has earned itself the position of a serious contender for the 2017 Academy Awards. Since you’re probably going to watch it anyway once it’s official, you can earn yourself some bragging rights by doing it before the hype is up.

If you think you’re too old to watch animated movies in a theatre (that’s a myth, there is no such thing), drag your younger cousins and neighbours’ kids along to the next show. They’ll thank you when they’re old enough.

Sources –  [1] – http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/behind-screen/angelina-jolie-speaks-women-s-rights-at-breadwinner-premiere-1050961

Image Credits – Google Images


Read More:

http://edtimes.in/2017/11/watch-how-hollywood-did-it-again-india-is-the-land-of-dogs-beggars-and-slums/

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here