The Breadwinner
Directed By: Nora Twomey
Grade: A
“Stories remain in our hearts even when all else is gone.”
And this is a beautiful story, based on a book by Deborah Ellis, about a young girl in Afghanistan who must pretend to be a boy simply in order to keep her family afloat.
The story itself is both heartbreaking and maddening. Parvana (Saara Chaudry) is in the market with her father (who used to teach) when a Taliban guy starts getting all upset about her presence and the fact that she’s looking at him funny. Her father actually used to teach this kid but he still winds up reported, arrested and imprisoned. When her mother tries to get information on him she is beaten.
With an older sister and a much younger brother Parvana tries to buy food but she’s mostly ignored…
(Maddening. People seemingly would have let her starve rather than deal with a girl.)
Faced with no other options she cuts her hair and pretends to be a boy making a friend and taking odd jobs about the city. (And as a boy of course people are more than happy to sell her food!) All the while never giving up on her father and amusing her younger brother with a story within a story.
The Breadwinner is a truly beautiful movie (really you should see it in more than stills) about strength in the face of an impossible situation. It’s also about grief. I love Parvana’s relationship with her family, the friend she makes and even that as in so much of life people are just doing what they have to do to survive.
Unfortunately so many people take advantage of that to hurt others.
The one thing I will say is I was so caught up in Parvana’s story that when it got to the crux of the story she was telling- well, it was more emotionally powerful than I had expected to be honest and I wound up rewatching those parts.
The Breadwinner is also ultimately a story about strength, grief, hope and surviving impossible circumstances. It’s a quick film to watch but it’s meaningful and well worth it.
Recommend: Yes.
I hope you have read books by Khaled Hosseini. They too are set in Afghanistan.
I haven’t read any Hosseini yet but I’m attempting to try and branch out authors and geography & he’s definitely on the list!
Good you have him on list. His books are among the best I have read till date.
Breadwinner seems to be an interesting and emotional movie. I haven’t watched a movie set in Afghanistan so, thank you for this recommendation! I also don’t find movies of Family stories, strength and struggle much these days!
Sure! It’s a lovely film.
So… It’s like Mulan in Afghanistan? But, far more dramatic? Sounds absolutely heart wrenching, though!
Glad you enjoyed this one!😊 Sounds like a great story.📚💚
That is a good movie. I’m glad someone else has covered it. While I didn’t think it was as good as Song of the Sea, The Breadwinner is easily my 2nd favorite work from Cartoon Saloon. They’re definitely a studio to watch.
I still have to watch Song of the Sea but even from what I’ve seen the studio is doing really great work!
Gotcha. I think you’ll enjoy that one. It’s awesome how that Irish studio has been making waves with animated works. America and Japan can’t be the only main countries in the realm of animation.
If you’re curious, here’s my review of The Breadwinner on my film/anime review blog. https://iridiumeye.wordpress.com/2019/08/31/the-breadwinner-review/