An Afghan girl defies the Taliban in ‘Breadwinner’

rah Ellis that went through numerous editions and led to several sequels. It’s a tale Ireland’s Cartoon Saloon of empowerment about has already given us two 11-year-old Parvana, who striking animated features cuts her hair and dresses as that use simple and beautiful a boy so she can work and images to recount compel- buy food for her mother ling stories aimed at adults and two siblings, an imposas well as youngsters. The sibility for a girl under the same is true for the studio’s fundamentalists who conlatest offering, “The Bread- trol every aspect of life in winner,” about an Afghan Kabul in 2001. girl who disguises herself Parvana (voice of Saara to help her family survive Chaudry) also has another the harsh strictures of Talmission — to find out what’s iban rule. become of her father, a kind

The movie is based on and loving man who enter- an award-winning novel tains his family with stofor young people by Debo- ries (also forbidden) and San Francisco Chronicle whoisnofriendoftheTaliban. Early in the film, he is arrested for spurious reasons and hau led away to prison. Her remaining family — a frail mother, an older sister, with whom Parvana sometimes quibbles, and an infant brother — are on the verge of starvation.

The film’s director, Nora Twomey, also worked on the earlier Cartoon Saloon features, “The Secret of Kells” (2009) and “Song of the Sea” (2014), both nominated for Oscars. “The Breadwinner’s” style is somewhat more naturalistic than its predecessors, which use less austere colo rs.Butthe the amazing level of freenew film is also notable in dom — and to be sure, it’s employing a second style, relative freedom — enjoyed which is digital but designed by males under extreme to resemble traditional cutpatriarchal rule (it’s no surout animation. prise that the movie is exec

That second style is utive produced by Angelina restricted to the fantastic Jolie). With no adult males stories that Parvana tells around, an impoverished her little brother, to soothe fami lyisinserioustrouble. and distract him. Though And the film is honest early in the movie Parvana enough not to exaggerate expresses skepticism about the beneficial results of Parthe value of telling tales, she vana’s courageous act. She comes to see their value as does provide for her family, she recounts, in several epi- and finally makes it to the sodes, a fable about a scary prison where her father is Elephant King and the couincarcerated, but these vicrageous boy who defies him. tories, while real, are small

What Parvana learns is ones in a totalitarian society.