CARTOON Saloon, Kilkenny’s animation studio have something of the midas touch. Three films, three Oscar nominations. That’s impressive.
Their latest project, following on from the success of ‘Song of the Sea’ and ‘The Secret of Kells’, is Nora Twomey’s ‘The Breadwinner’.
The film is set in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and tells the story of Parvana, a young girl who takes the brave decision following the arrest of her father to dress as a boy in order to earn money for her struggling family. Parvana, inspired by the tales of courage her father once told her, embarks on a dangerous journey to find out where he’s been taken and if he’s still alive.
Canadian actress Saara Chaudry, best known for her work on children’s TV shows like ‘Degrassi’ and ‘Max and Shred’, voices the lead role, with the rest of the cast equally unfamiliar to audiences this side of the pond.
One name you will surely recognise on the end credits is that of executive producer Angelina Jolie, who was drawn to the project because of its strong theme of female empowerment.
The story originates from a book from Deborah Ellis, and so this is definitely a film made by and about, but not only for, women.
It can be argued that Cartoon Saloon do their best work when connecting with and telling stories of Celtic mythology but here they take a step abroad and use Afghani folklore as the basis for this modern day tale. In many ways it feel like we are looking at a movie set in the distant past, and of course, Afghanistan was literally bombed back to the stone age, but the savagery of the Taliban is often difficult to comprehend.
Sad as the reality may be, it provides an excellent dramatic backdrop for a moving and sometimes shocking tale of bravery and defiance.
This is clever animation but remember it’s no ‘Boss Baby’, so leave the youngsters at home. We award ‘The Breadwinner’ a freshly baked review score of four tasty stars.
Other Releases: Solo: A Star Wars Story – two stars
Paul O’Rourke
