An Oscar-winning actress and noted humanitarian, Angelina Jolie has recently agreed to become the executive producer of a new animated film titled The Breadwinner. Irish production company Cartoon Saloon is making the film, which is based on a novel of the same named by Canadian author Deborah Ellis. The Breadwinner tells the story of a young girl living in Afghanistan named Parvana. In the novel, Parvana’s father is unfairly imprisoned, so she must disguise herself as a boy to obtain employment and earn the money needed to continue supporting the family.
Jolie agreed to work on the film largely because of its subject matter. Having already supported a school for girls in Afghanistan, Jolie has learned firsthand how difficult life can be for young Afghan females. As the actress pointed out, millions of girls in Afghanistan today work very hard to support their families, who continue to struggle after decades of conflict. The Breadwinner tells their story and celebrates the amazing contributions that they make. The film will help to bring a great deal of attention to the reality of many young Afghan girls and has the potential to refocus many philanthropists on their needs. Jolie has pledged to donate all the money that she makes from the film to support girls’ education in Afghanistan.
Nora Twomey, an Irish animator, will direct the film. Through the project, she hopes to accurately reflect Afghan culture and society through the eyes of a little girl. The film is both a celebration of love and fidelity in Afghan families and a look at how gender has shaped opportunity in Afghanistan. Ukrainian-Canadian film director and screenwriter Anita Doron has agreed to transform the novel into a screenplay. Production on the film is set to begin shortly and the project will likely be finished in early 2017. The team behind The Breadwinner plans to release the film in both English and Dari, one of Afghanistan’s official languages.