The Breadwinner

Co-executive produced by Angelina Jolie, this Oscar-nominated animated film—directed by Nora Twomey (co-director of the 2009 Oscar nominee The Secret of Kells)—is set in Taliban-controlled Kabul, Afghanistan, where 11-year-old Parvana (voiced by Saara Chaudry) and her “babu” (father) sell wares at a local market. When Parvana’s babu is arrested without reason and taken to a prison, Parvana and her mother try to get more information, only to be harangued by a Taliban member for being out in the streets without a male chaperone (this man also severely beats Parvana’s mother). Since Parvana—as a female—cannot work in the market, her older sister cuts Parvana’s hair, after which she poses as a boy, taking the name of Aatish and striking up a friendship with Shauzia, another girl pretending to be a boy. Parvana’s main goal is to find and help her babu, a dangerous quest, while also taking on work that makes her the “breadwinner” for the family. Interwoven throughout the story is another tale that Parvana tells her baby brother about a brave villager who tries to retrieve precious seeds stolen by the Elephant King—a second narrative strand that dovetails nicely with the main story during the climactic finale. Based on Deborah Ellis’s 2000 YA novel, this is a beautifully-animated paean to family ties, with a strong female-empowerment theme. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary with director Nora Twomey and film artists, an intro by Twomey and executive producer Angelina Jolie, and a collection of making-of featurettes (29 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD and digital copies of the film. Bottom line: a fine extras package for this Oscar-nominated film.] (R. Pitman)