In 2001, Afghanistan is under the control of the Taliban. When her father is captured, a determined young girl disguises herself as a boy in order to provide for her family.
From executive producer Angelina Jolie and the creators of the Academy Award nominated The Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea, comes the highly-anticipated new feature based on Deborah Ellis' bestselling novel. Parvana is an 11-year-old girl growing up under the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001. When her father is wrongfully arrested, Parvana cuts off her hair and dresses like a boy in order to support her family. Working alongside her friend Shauzia, Parvana discovers a new world of freedom-and danger. With undaunted courage, Parvana draws strength from the fantastical stories she invents, as she embarks on a quest to find her father and reunite her family. Equal parts thrilling and enchanting, The Breadwinner is an inspiring and luminously animated tale about the power of stories to sustain hope and carry us through dark times.
Under the Taliban's strict rule, somewhere in the dusty and bustling town of Kabul in Afghanistan, the 11-year-old girl, Parvana, helps her father sell the family's goods in the market, amidst potential customers and gun-toting fundamentalists. But when her dad is incarcerated on a convenient and unjust pretext, it's up to the spirited Parvana's resourcefulness to feed and care for the rest of her family with the use of a desperate and daring plan. Eventually, as Parvana, the youthful storyteller, takes matters into her own hands wandering all alone on the perilous streets, an unexpected friend will provide hope and a sense of freedom. But is a will of iron enough to survive in a man's world?—Nick Riganas
Parvana (Saara Chaudry) is a young girl living in Kabul, Afghanistan, under the control of the Taliban. Her father Nurullah (Ali Badshah), who is a teacher was left impaired during The Soviet-Afghan War and became a hawker, is unjustly arrested after a volatile young member of the Taliban, Idrees (Noorin Gulamgaus), thinks he insulted him while the two were selling goods in the market in Kabul. Parvana's family is left without an adult male relative, as her elder brother Sulayman died years ago, leaving her, her mother Fattema (Laara Sadiq), her elder sister Soraya (Shaista Latif) and her baby brother Zaki without means to support the family, as they are not allowed to go out without a male relative. After Parvana unsuccessfully tries to procure food while going out as a girl, she decides to dress as a boy and pretend to be Nurullah's nephew, "Aatish," in order to support the family. Parvana frequently entertains Zaki by telling the story of a young man on a journey to retrieve the seeds stolen by the evil Elephant King.
The ploy works, and Parvana is able to get food and money. On the advice of Shauzia, (Soma Bhatia) another young girl dressing as a boy to support her family, Parvana goes to the prison where her father is held to try to bribe the guards into letting her see him. The plan fails, and Parvana is driven away. She works to save money to get a larger bribe, taking on hard labor jobs with Shauzia, who is trying to save enough money to escape her abusive father. Meanwhile, Fattema is forced to write to a relative in Mazar-i-Sharif, offering Soraya up for marriage in exchange for shelter and protection. Parvana also meets Razaq (Kawa Ada), who was with Idrees when her father was arrested; the illiterate Razaq pays her to read him a letter that reveals that his wife, Hawla, was killed by a mine on the way to a wedding. He befriends her and continues to meet with her so that she can teach him to read and write.
Parvana and Shauzia take a hard labor job where Idrees is also in attendance. He recognizes her, and tries to kill her as she flees with Shauzia. Parvana and Shauzia manage to hide, and Idrees is abruptly called away to fight in a war that has just begun. When Parvana returns home, Fattema pleads with her to stop the dangerous ploy, telling her that her relatives accepted Soraya and that they will be collected the day after next. Parvana agrees on the condition that she visits Nurullah in prison to inform him where they will be living, as Razaq has a cousin that lives there that will let her in. She tearfully bids farewell to Shauzia, promising that they will meet 20 years from then. However, as Parvana travels to the prison, Fattema's cousin arrives early and forces them to come with him without Parvana, as the war is starting and the roads will soon be blocked. Fattema eventually stands up to her cousin, refusing to let him take them further, and he leaves the family stranded in the road.
Parvana arrives at the prison, where she finds Razaq. After Parvana reveals that she is Nurullah's daughter, Razaq informs her that his cousin has left to fight, but he will retrieve Nurullah; the prison is being cleared out of weak prisoners unable to fight, and Parvana witnesses their execution. A terrified Parvana gathers her courage to stay by finishing the tale of the boy, who she turns into Sulayman, revealing that he died after picking up a "toy" in the street, which was actually a land mine that exploded. Razaq is attacked while rescuing the weak Nurullah, but is wounded non-fatally and reunites father and daughter. Parvana takes Nurullah away, where they will soon reunite with the rest of the family, as the two continue the story they were telling each other at the start of the film.
