The first teaser trailer for Cartoon Saloon’s new feature 'The Breadwinner', which Angelina Jolie worked on as an executive producer, has just been uploaded onto social media sites.
Based on the award-winning, best-selling young adult novel by Deborah Ellis, 'The Breadwinner' is directed by Cartoon Saloon’s Nora Twomey, co-director of 'The Secret of Kells' alongside Tomm Moore.
The film is about Parvana, a young girl living under the Taliban regime, who cuts her hair and disguises herself as a boy in order to provide for her family after her father is imprisoned.
Of her involvement with the film due out later this year, Jolie has this to tell us, “I am proud to be a part of this beautiful film with this timely and very important subject matter. Millions of girls around the world have to grow up before their time, working to provide for their families at a very young age and in difficult circumstances.
"They have the strength to do what no one should ask little girls to do. I hope this film is able to bring this discussion to a broader audience."
She adds, "As much as it is an important and very meaningful film, it also stands on its own as a great piece of art. Director Nora Twomey and her team have done something very special. They have breathed life into the characters and paid respect to the subject matter and to a country where women often struggle.”
A powerful and riveting story of self-empowerment and imagination in the face of oppression, 'The Breadwiner' boasts the breathtaking hand-drawn animation that has made Cartoon Saloon one of the world’s most well-loved and respected animation studios.
The new feature is produced by Aircraft Pictures’ Anthony Leo and Andrew Rosen, Cartoon Saloon’s Tomm Moore and Paul Young, and Melusine Productions’ Stephan Roelants. It is executive produced by Jolie Pas Production’s Angelina Jolie, Jehane Noujaim, Karim Amer, Mimi Polk Gitlin, Jon Levin, Regina K. Scully, Frank Falcone, Mary Bredin with Cartoon Saloon’s Gerry Shirren and GKIDS’ Eric Beckman and David Jesteadt. WestEnd Films is handling international sales.
An official Ireland-Canada-Luxembourg co-production, 'The Breadwinner' is being produced with the participation of the Irish Film Board, Telefilm Canada & The Film Fund, Film Fund Luxembourg, The Harold Greenberg Fund, Shaw Rocket Fund, the Ontario Media Development Corporation and the BroadcastingAuthority of Ireland along with Gaia Entertainment and the Artemis Rising Foundation.
Published by Groundwood Books, 'The Breadwinner' novel has been in print for over 15 years and is recommended reading in numerous schools throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. Author Deborah Ellis recently completed “My Name is Parvana,” the fourth book in the series which has cumulative sales exceeding 2.5 million copies across 25 languages.
To date, Ellis has donated more than $1 million from her book royalties to the charity Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan. The book was recently endorsed by Nobel Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, who told the New York Times, “’The Breadwinner’ reminds us how courageous and strong women are around the world.”
You can watch the trailer here...