Director: Nora Twomey
Runtime: 94 mins
Genre: Animation, Drama
Film Language: English
The Breadwinner is the story of a girl named Parvana who transforms herself into a boy after her father is arrested in a desperate attempt to save her family from starvation, fighting for their chances of survival in a world run by religious fanaticism and patriarchy.
Even after highlighting such a harrowing issue, the movie does not fail to entertain its audience with gentle comedy, as if affirming its optimism for life from the get-go. We see Shauzia, a confidante a character who becomes Parvana's (the protagonist) escape from the harsh reality that was her life. We see Shauzia's guilelessness when she dreams of leaving everything behind and going to the ocean, to its waters unbelievably blue.
Parvana's father Nurullah is the singular source of gentle concern and love, ready to stand against everything that he deems unfair. He taught his daughters to read and write in a place where it was considered meaningless and a waste of time. His helplessness, despite the best of intentions, in his given circumstances, is depicted by his inability to walk properly. As a one-legged survivor of war, he continues to fight the daily battle against rising oppression in his motherland.
Storytelling plays an important role in the movie, Parvana’s father tells her to remember what she had studied through stories and teaches her how “story remains when everything else is gone”. The Art of Storytelling is exhibited in this film as a good distraction for the various characters while reminding us of the change as Parvana's continuous tale moves parallel to the main plot of the film.
Transitions from the storytelling sequences to reality seem effortless. The surroundings consisting of the houses, people’s clothes, characters portrayed in the stories told by her and her father, everything seemed dull representing the situation they’re stuck in whereas the treats like apples, candies, and Parvana's beautiful dress is brightly and beautifully coloured signifying hope in their lives.
The names in this signify much more than just a word used to identify a person, it stands for their beliefs, what describes them the best and is a source to provide them with the confidence and conviction that they're lacking. This is established when Parvana transforms herself into a boy but is hesitant to step out of the house, however, after choosing a strong name, Aatish she finally believes in herself and heads out with utter confidence. It is a film that ultimately upholds the spirit of humanity, of a willingness to live and to survive despite all odds.
A scathing commentary on archaic religious rules and patriarchy, on the other hand, leaves enough food for thought when the emotions subside.