The Breadwinner
From the studios that gifted us the stunning fantasy Song of the Sea, comes this equally stunning film. There’s a mix of visual wonder and coming of age material, but it’s also a story not frightened to tackle the issues of a Taliban-controlled city.
On the streets of Kabul, a young girl called Parvana (Saara Chaudry) helps her father sell wares to passersby. A heated argument causes a furious Taliban member to arrest him and he’s taken to prison. Parvana’s family are running out of food and because women aren’t allowed out by themselves, she decides to change her identity in the hope of helping her family.
This story based on a book by Deborah Ellis is such an honest, textured look at a world far away from what we experience. Ellis and Anita Doron have mastered a screenplay that wonderfully juggles the main narrative with a magical story within a story. What works so flawlessly for this film is the way they aren’t afraid to show how brutal the place can be and how chained women are, by the words of men and society in general.
The animation is gorgeous and there’s two styles on show. The prominent one is a grounded, dusty drawing of Afghanistan’s capital, filled with the odd pop of colour as Parvana explores. Then there’s the tale narrated within the story - this, like Song of the Sea, is mystical and bursting with a vivid fantasy set-up. The characters that walk this world look like paper and the flat visuals roll sideways like a sideshow.
Parvana as a character is a smart young girl bravely making a change and stepping out into a place dominated by men. A developing friendship with a fellow child on the streets of Kabul is great to watch - it’s her escape, they share an innocence and much needed play-about, but what’s so well presented is their maturity. Where they’ve grown up has made them wise beyond their years.
The Breadwinner is a film I won’t forget anytime soon. Women live in a world of rules and incoming Western threats which aren’t shied away from. This deserves to be seen and applauded for it’s beautiful story of culture, humour, war, loss, oppression and transformation.
