Animated tale doesn’t flinch from girl’s grim fight
The Breadwinner (out of 4) Starring the voices of Saara Chaudry, Ali Badshah. Directed by Nora Twomey. Opens Friday at Cineplex Cinemas Yonge-Dundas. 93 minutes. Opens Friday at Cineplex Yonge Dundas. PG
Life under the repressive Taliban regime in Afghanistan is hard for 11-year-old Parvana and her family. It’s about to get even more difficult.
Nurulla, her kind and loving father, struggles to house and feed his wife and children, especially since he lost a leg in battle.
But when Nurulla is sent to prison, the family’s situation becomes more dire still. Strict Islamic rule under the Taliban means that women are not allowed to go out in public without an adult male escort so it’s up to Parvana, dressed as a boy, to become the family’s unlikely breadwinner.
And Parvana’s mission is even more dangerous and arduous than that, because she’s determined to find out what has happened to her father and, if possible, to rescue him.
There’s also a parallel subplot steeped in myth and folklore in which a brave hero must undertake a perilous journey to confront and defeat fearful creatures.
The story, based on the award-winning novel by Canadian writer Deb- orah Ellis, is lovingly brought to life by director Nora Twomey and the expert skills of Irish animation and film studio Cartoon Saloon, which uses different styles of animation to illustrate both storylines.
There’s a fine attention to detail and a studied contrast in rendering the landscapes of the two storylines, one of which it evokes the heat and dust of the everyday world and bold, dramatic colours used to add menace and tension to the fantasy sequences. The voice work is excellent throughout, including Toronto native Saara Chaudry who renders the role of Parvana with just the right amount of pluckiness and courage. The score by composer brothers Jeff Danna and Mychael Danna, which features traditional Afghani musical instruments, provides an excellent accompaniment to a stirring tale.
The big question parents will be asking: is the story too intense for younger audiences? The storyline is certainly grim, and there are many moments of harrowing tension.
But young people need to understand that the world is a complex place in which societies rife with injustice and repression do exist.
The Breadwinner is a well-crafted and inspiring story with an important message about female empowerment, embodied in heroic Parvana, something people of all ages should embrace.