Aircraft Pictures and Cartoon Saloon announce a major co-production deal to adapt the award-winning novel The Breadwinner written by Deborah Ellis as an animated feature film
The Breadwinner is the story of Parvana, a young girl living under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan who must disguise herself as a boy and become the breadwinner of the family when her father is unfairly imprisoned for being an intellectual. It’s a tale of self-empowerment and imagination in the face of oppression – celebrating the culture and beauty of Afghanistan. The book has sold millions of copies worldwide and is recommended reading for middle school students in the US, Canada and in Europe.
The film will be directed by Nora Twomey from Cartoon Saloon, co-director of the Academy Award® nominee for Best Animated Feature The Secret of Kells and director of the multiple award winning shorts From Darkness and Cúilín Dualach (Backwards Boy). The screenplay was written by author Deborah Ellis and Anita Doron. Ms. Doron’s credits include the feature films The End of Silence starring Sarah Harmer and The Lesser Blessed written and directed by Anita, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and won the American Indian Film Award in addition to being nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
The Breadwinner will be produced in Ireland and Canada and plans to begin production this year. Development work on the project has been assisted by Telefilm Canada, the Irish Film Board, The Belinda Stronach Foundation and Movie Central – A Corus Entertainment Company.
