The Breadwinner 2017

Parvana, portrayed by Saara Chaudry, is a courageous young girl navigating life in Kabul, Afghanistan, amidst Taliban rule. Her father, Nurullah, played by Ali Badshah, is a former teacher turned hawker, struggling to support their family after sustaining injuries during the Soviet-Afghan War. Tragedy strikes when he is unjustly arrested, following a misunderstanding with a volatile Taliban member, Idrees, who misinterprets a comment made in the marketplace.

With no male figure remaining in the family—her elder brother, Sulayman, having died years prior—Parvana finds herself in a dire situation alongside her mother Fattema, her older sister Soraya, and her baby brother, Zaki. As the Taliban enforces rules that prevent women from going out without a male relative, Parvana decides to disguise herself as a boy named “Aatish,” her father’s imaginary nephew. This brave decision allows her to venture outside and support her family by earning money and gathering food.

To keep spirits high, Parvana often entertains Zaki by recounting an imaginative tale of a young man on a quest to retrieve seeds stolen by the wicked Elephant King. The ruse proves successful, providing the family with much-needed resources. Guided by her friend Shauzia—another girl disguised as a boy to fend for her family—Parvana ventures to the prison in hopes of bribing the guards for a chance to see her father. Unfortunately, the plan is thwarted, and she is forced to retreat.

Undeterred, Parvana works hard, taking on labor jobs alongside Shauzia, who is also trying to save for her escape from her abusive home life. Meanwhile, her mother faces her own struggles by writing to a relative in Mazar-i-Sharif, proposing Soraya’s marriage for shelter and protection in these tumultuous times. During her journey, Parvana meets Razaq, who was present during her father’s arrest. Razaq, illiterate and looking to learn, befriends Parvana, who agrees to teach him to read after he reveals his own personal tragedy—his wife, Hawla, was killed by a mine.

However, Parvana’s dangerous endeavor doesn’t go unnoticed. At one of her labor jobs, she is recognized by Idrees, who threatens her life as she escapes with Shauzia. Luckily, their escape coincides with Idrees being called away to join a new war. Upon returning home, Parvana’s mother becomes increasingly worried and insists she abandon her perilous plan, especially since arrangements for Soraya’s marriage have been made.

Relenting to her mother’s concerns, Parvana sets off to inform her father in prison about their new situation, hoping to reunite the family with the help of Razaq’s cousin. Heartbreaking farewells are exchanged between Parvana and Shauzia, who promises to meet again in 20 years. However, as fate would have it, Parvana’s family connections intervene, forcing her to remain behind while her relatives leave.

At the prison, Parvana encounters Razaq again, who informs her that he will retrieve her father. In a harrowing scene of chaos, she witnesses the brutal executions of prisoners unfit for battle. Despite her fear, Parvana finds strength in the story she has been telling, turning the tale’s protagonist into her brother, Sulayman, who tragically died from a forgotten “toy”—a landmine.

In a shocking turn, Razaq is wounded while rescuing Nurullah, but he manages to unite father and daughter. Together, they escape the prison, embracing the hope of reuniting with their family as they continue the story that has been a source of strength through their struggles.