The Breadwinner (2017)
RT Audience Score: 88%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
22 wins & 56 nominations total
The Breadwinner’s stunning visuals are matched by a story that dares to confront sobering real-life issues with uncommon — and richly rewarding — honesty.
The Breadwinner is a beautifully animated film that tells the story of a young girl’s struggle for survival in a war-torn country. It’s a heart-wrenching tale that will leave you feeling inspired and moved. The animation is stunning, and the story is both intense and inspiring. The film is a testament to the power of storytelling and the resilience of the human spirit. It’s a must-see for anyone who loves great animation and powerful storytelling. So grab some popcorn, settle in, and get ready to be transported to a world of magic, wonder, and heartache.
Production Company(ies)
Am Psycho Productions, Lions Gate Films, Muse Productions,
Distributor
GKIDS
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
N: Rated PG-13 for thematic material including some violent images
Year of Release
2017
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:1h 34m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Nov 17, 2017 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 17, 2018
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
The Breadwinner, PG-13, drama, 1h 34m, directed by Nora Twomey, written by Anita Doron and Deborah Ellis, produced by Angelina Jolie, Anthony Leo, Tomm Moore, Andrew Rosen, Paul Young, starring Saara Chaudry, Laara Sadiq, Shaista Latif, Ali Badshah, Noorin Gulamgaus, Kawa Ada, box office gross $302.9K, reviewed by Donald Clarke, Mark Kermode, Charlotte O’Sullivan, Philip De Semlyen, Ed Potton, Robbie Collin, Matt Brunson, Richard Crouse, Leigh Monson, John Lui, Katie Smith-Wong, PG-13 rating, Afghanistan, Taliban rule, wrongful arrest, family, gender roles, survival, fantasy stories, animation, Oscar nomination, real-life issues, honesty, sobering, stunning visuals, epic quest, bravery, laughter, humour, children, violence, thematic material, distributor GKIDS
Worldwide gross: $2,790,214
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $3,365,657
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,285
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 367,029
US/Canada gross: $313,215
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $377,811
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,401
US/Canada opening weekend: $17,395
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $20,982
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,499
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Laara Sadiq – Fattema (Voice)
Shaista Latif – Soraya (Voice)
Ali Badshah – Nurullah (Voice)
Noorin Gulamgaus – Idrees, Sulayman (Voice)
Kawa Ada – Razaq (Voice)
Director(s)
Nora Twomey
Writer(s)
Anita Doron, Deborah Ellis
Producer(s)
Angelina Jolie, Anthony Leo, Tomm Moore, Andrew Rosen, Paul Young
Film Festivals
Toronto
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
22 wins & 56 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (105) | Top Critics (32) | Fresh (100) | Rotten (5)
A fantastical myth, woven through the propulsive main story, serves as a distraction to the characters in their most distressed moments. Story as lesson. Story as history. Also, story as entertainment. Story as escape.
June 2, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Donald Clarke
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
Along with the eerie beauty of the animation there is a salving streak of humour that softens this tale’s sharper edges, reminding us that – for children – laughter and bravery walk hand in hand.
May 27, 2018 | Rating: 5/5
Mark Kermode
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
This beautiful and continually surprising film makes us think about what children can and can’t bear.
May 25, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Charlotte O’Sullivan
London Evening Standard
TOP CRITIC
This is a day-to-day survival story that stirs the heart and fires the imagination.
May 25, 2018 | Rating: 5/5
Philip De Semlyen
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Not the most obvious subjects for a family animation, but The Breadwinner tackles them all with devastating economy.
May 24, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Ed Potton
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
The Breadwinner is thrillingly alive with the delicacy, artistry and wit of human touch.
May 24, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Robbie Collin
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Unlike the dismal box office hit The Boss Baby, here’s a toon flick that fully deserved its Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature.
August 31, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Beautifully animated, it’s intense, inspiring and further proof that good storytelling is good storytelling regardless of milieu.
February 3, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
Richard Crouse
Richard Crouse
A remarkably solid film about perseverance and hardship in a society dominated by those who insist that might makes right.
October 2, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/5
Leigh Monson
Substream Magazine
While there is more than a moment of bleak humour – in scenes showing that when one is arguing with the armed religious right, the worst thing one can do is win – much of the story plays out as a tense survival story.
June 8, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/5
John Lui
The Straits Times (Singapore)
Overall, The Breadwinner is a strong debut for Twomey and a beautifully animated adaptation of Ellis’ novel.
November 12, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Katie Smith-Wong
Flick Feast
Its effective animation, and its solid script are the icing on the cake. [Full Review in Spanish]
July 18, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Mikel Zorrilla
Espinof…
Plot
In Taliban-ruled Afghanistan in 2001, an 11-year-old girl named Parvana disguises herself as a boy to support her family after her father is wrongfully arrested, and embarks on a dangerous quest to find him and reunite her family in The Breadwinner.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Saara Chaudry voices the main character, Parvana, in The Breadwinner.
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