#parvana’s journey

[purplebutterflysthings]

I designed what I think Asif, Leila and Hassan would look like (sorry if they look weird, Hassan kinda looks like Zaki).

I want advice on what you guys think, if i should change something about them.

[quotesfromall]

It's hard to remember that I used to sleep in a bed and had to do my homework before I could watch television and play with my friends. It's hard to remember that we used to have ice cream and cakes to eat. Was that really me? Did I really leave a big piece of cake on my plate one day because I didn't feel like eating it? That must have been a dream. That couldn't have been my life. My life is dust and rocks and rude boys and skinny babies

Deborah Ellis, Parvana's Journey

[petrastoker]

January Reading Goals

'Salem's Lot by Stephen King

Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis

Parvana's Journey by Deborah Ellis

Mud City by Deborah Ellis

My name is Parvana by Deborah Ellis

The Year of Knives (org. Godina noževa) by Vojislav Kuzmanović

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Frankestein by Mary Shelley

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Silent Scream by Angela Marsons

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Go set a Watchman by Harper Lee

[cagenerals]

Persepolis: Living In Countries at War by R

Have you ever watched the Bread Winner or Persepolis? Both books and their adaptations are worthwhile due to depth of new understanding they deliver. Both works give us insight into what it's like living in a country at war. Not only this but they also deal with very heavy religious beliefs that restrict any diversity or self expression. They answer all of the outside viewers’ questions, and following these two girls on their journeys is a sympathy-inducing experience that enhances our mind on what the life of the critically oppressed consists of... Both Marji and Parvana speak out against a government controlled by violent and cruel extremists. Specifically, Marji rebels against strong religious and political beliefs by skipping her classes to go to this “Teen Town” with her friends to see these boys. Most of Marji’s rebellious actions occur on educational terms. For example, when Marji corrects her teacher for teaching incomplete and inaccurate material, it is a sign of rebellion due to the fact that what she was challenging was from a higher authority. Another example of Marji being a rebel is when she smokes a cigarette to establish what she wants her introduction to adulthood to be. This action reminds me of what Parvana does to protest against the oppression forced upon her. Parvana fights back the corrupt authorities and the mayhem-crazed government run by terrifying extremists. 

All in all, these two films are worth checking out...

[babylove007]

Parvana's journey

Hi Debbie, it's Lycee.

It's been a long year here in Kingston, but I remember you. Hi. Hello. Love you for your being.

I book mark my Gr.6 Library book study and never forget how it reasoned and related to me as a human being. And my approach in family.

I remember you. I love you. I reread the book before I read the into this past February.

----

Hello 😇😅😂

[sarahnasoni]

Critical Film Analysis: The Breadwinner 

The Breadwinner is a 2017 animated drama film based on the young adult novel of the same name by Deborah Ellis. The story centers around Parvana, an 11-year-old girl living in Kabul, Afghanistan under Taliban rule in 2001. The Taliban has imposed strict limitations on women's freedoms. Parvana's world is upended when her father, a former teacher and the family's breadwinner, is wrongfully arrested. Faced with the inability for women to work or freely go about in public, Parvana makes a courageous decision. She disguises herself as a boy to support her family. Entering a world unseen by her before, Parvana experiences both newfound freedoms and dangers. She also finds solace in weaving fantastical stories, mirroring her own struggles.  The film follows Parvana's journey as she tries to find her father and keep her family afloat. In my video essay I touched on how Parvana’s story is a powerful exploration of gender performance under oppression, viewing it through the lens of Judith Butler's “Gender is Burning: Questions of Appropriation and Subversion.”(1) Now I will delve deeper into this analysis, but will also  draw upon additional feminist and gender film theory to incorporate additional theoretical perspectives and enrich our understanding.

In Judith Butler's seminal work, “Gender is Burning: Questions of Appropriation and Subversion” she argues that gender is not a fixed identity or an innate biological reality but a performance, a set of cultural expectations we embody. We learn and embody gender through social norms and expectations. The Breadwinner beautifully showcases this concept through Parvana's act of disguise. By adopting a masculine presentation, she disrupts the Taliban's rigid gender binary, demonstrating how gender is a constructed identity, not a fixed essence. In my video I also point out the intersection of race and ethnicity with gender performance. The film masterfully portrays the complexities of navigating gender performance within a specific racial and ethnic context. Pashtunwali, the Afghan cultural code, emphasizes male dominance, which the Taliban weaponizes. Parvana, by adopting masculinity, disrupts this system. However, it's crucial to acknowledge the limitations of her performance. Unlike white women who might "pass" as men with more ease, Parvana's ethnicity and the constant threat of exposure add another layer of complexity.  

My video essay highlights the significance of Parvana’s storytelling as a form of resistance. By weaving fantastical tales featuring strong female characters, Parvana not only provides solace for her family but also subverts the Taliban's oppressive message. While my video focuses on Parvana is act as a form of resistance, it is important to acknowledge the psychological toll it takes. Scholars explore the concept of embodied identities, highlighting how prolonged performances can shape our sense of self. Parvana's constant fear of exposure, the strain of living a double life, all contribute to the film’s emotional depth. It reminds us that resistance comes at a cost, with potential psychological consequences that deserve exploration.

Laura Mulvey's work, “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema,” posits the “male gaze” in cinema, where the camera and narrative focus on the objectification of women for the male spectator's pleasure, “The determining male gaze projects its phantasy on to the female figure which is styled accordingly.” (2) However, the Breadwinner challenges this notion as Parvana's story isn't framed through a male gaze; it's hers. Parvana actively resists this gaze, disguised as a boy, she navigates a male-dominated world, observing and critiquing its power structures. We see the world through her eyes, her fear, and her determination to survive. Her fantastical stories, a source of solace for her family, become a form of resistance.

This aligns with E. Ann Kaplan's work in “Is the Gaze Male?”(3) which argues for the possibility of a “female gaze,” a counterpoint to Mulvey's theory. Kaplan's essay critiques the concept of the “male gaze” in cinema, which suggests that films are inherently structured from a masculine perspective. This perspective positions the male character as the active subject, looking at the female character as a passive object of desire. Parvana defies the concept of the male gaze in several ways, the first being that she is the central character, driving the narrative forward through her actions and decisions. Parvana also holds a duality of roles as she adopts a masculine persona and challenges the societal norms that restrict females disrupts the film's gaze, making it unclear who is looking at who. Parvana's strength and determination counter the stereotypical image of the passive female as she actively resists the oppressive forces around her. Parvana's character in “The Breadwinner” offers a complex critique of the male gaze, while the film acknowledges the constraints placed upon females, Parvana's defiance and strength challenge these limitations. Through her journey, the film suggests the possibility of a more nuanced gaze in cinema, one that celebrates female agency and resilience.

Furthermore, bell hooks, in her work “Oppositional Gaze: Black Female Spectators,”(4) emphasizes the importance of considering race and ethnicity when analyzing representation. In this piece hooks focuses primarily of Black women and although there are no Black characters in “The Breadwinner,” hooks' concept of the “oppositional gaze” encourages critical viewing regardless of race. Parvana's story allows viewers, particularly female viewers, to challenge stereotypical portrayals of women, especially those confined by war and oppression. Parvana doesn't conform to the expectations placed upon young Afghan girls. She actively resists the limitations placed on her and seeks agency through her actions. This aligns with hooks' oppositional gaze, the idea of critical viewers rejecting the male-centered gaze and the limitations placed on female characters. The movie doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of war and oppression. However, Parvana's resourcefulness and resilience can offer a different kind of pleasure for viewers – the pleasure of witnessing a young girl challenge the status quo. This aligns with hooks' notion of finding pleasure in deconstructing dominant narratives. By applying bell hooks' concept of the oppositional gaze to Parvana, we can see how the film challenges traditional gender roles and empowers viewers to critically engage with the narrative. While there are limitations in directly applying a race-focused concept, hooks' ideas still offer a valuable framework for analyzing Parvana's defiance and the film's message of resilience. 

It's important to acknowledge a potential critique here. While Parvana's performance disrupts the Taliban's power structure, some might argue that it reinforces traditional gender roles. By adopting masculinity to gain freedom, is she simply conforming to another set of expectations? Unlike some narratives where women “pass” as men and achieve complete societal integration, Parvana’s performance is constantly under threat of exposure. 

The Breadwinner offers a powerful message about resilience and defiance in the face of oppression. By critically analyzing the film through the lens of gender performativity, intersectionality, and the power of storytelling, we gain a richer understanding of Parvana's journey. This multifaceted approach allows us to appreciate the film not just as a story of survival but also as a commentary on the complex interplay of gender, race, ethnicity, and the human spirit's ability to rewrite the script, even in the darkest of times.By weaving together Butler's theory of performative gender, Mulvey and Kaplan's discussions of the gaze, and hooks's emphasis on race and ethnicity, we gain a richer understanding of the film's message. It highlights the film's engagement with race and ethnicity alongside gender performance, creating a more nuanced understanding of Parvana's resistance. It's through this intersectional lens that The Breadwinner truly resonates, offering a powerful message of hope and resilience. 

Work Cited:

Butler, Judith. “Gender is Burning: Questions of Appropriation and Subversion” in Feminist Film Theory a Reader (New York: Washington Square, 1999), 338

Laura Mulvey, “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” in Film Theory and Criticism (New York: oxford University Press, 2009), 715

 Kaplan, E. Ann. “Is the Gaze Male?” in Women in Film: Both Sides of the Camera (London: Methuen, 1983), 119

bell hooks, “The Oppositional gaze: Black Female Spectators” in Feminist Film Theory (New York: New York University Press, 1999), 309

@theuncannyprofessoro

[nwemovie]

Rocket Boys 2 Release Date Sony Liv, Starcast, Story, When Will be Release?

After a successful first season, Sony LIV’s popular biographical drama series Rocket Boys is set to return with its second season. The series, directed by Abhay Pannu and premiered on February 4, 2022, has received rave reviews from fans and critics. Nikhil Advani, the series creator, known for popular films such as Kal Ho Na Ho, Patiala House, Hero, and Batla House, confirmed a few days after Season 1’s release that there would be a Rocket Boys Season 2 coming out soon.

read another article : Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Rocket Boys Season 2 Star Cast

The majority of the original cast makes a comeback for Rocket Boys season 2, including Jim Sarbh and Ishwak Singh as Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha and Vikram Sarabhai, respectively. The supporting cast will also return for their respective roles, including Regina Cassandra as Vikram’s wife Mrinalini Sarabhai, Saba Azad as Parvana Irani, Rajat Kapur as Jawaharlal Nehru, Dibyendu Bhattacharya as Raza Mehdi, Arjun Radhakrishnan as APJ Abdul Kalam.

Rocket Boys 2 OTT Release Date

Rocket Boys Season 2 team is planning for a digital premiere on Sony Liv in June 2023 tentatively. Rocket Boys season 2 will be streamed on the Sony Liv OTT platform. Unlike season 1, season 2 has more scenes that show the hard work of the great Dr. Vikram Sarabhai and Dr. Homi J. Bhabha. This series is surely going to be a blast and will win many hearts with its natural making. Though the teaser of this season was released long back, makers haven’t announced any release dates as of now, we need to wait a little longer for the release date of this interesting series.

Story  Dr. Vikram Sarabhai founded the Indian Space Program and many other institutes, and Dr. Homi J. Bhabha engineered India’s Nuclear Programme, both with dreams in their eyes and a vision in their minds. They are joined on their journey by Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, a pioneer in modern Indian aerospace and nuclear technology; Dr. Bhabha’s close friend, Parvana Irani; the distinguished scientist, Raza Mehdi (not a real person but a fictional character scripted as an antagonist for dramatization); and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

Rocket Boys: Reviews

Rocket Boys received a positive response from the critics and the audience. Reviewers said that the show was a tribute to India’s scientific luminaries, and the storytelling captivates the audience throughout. Performances by Jim Sarbh and Ishwak Singh were lauded as they brought the characters to life, thereby presenting their achievements of scientific in a perfect manner. Some also mentioned that the show had the potential to be sent to the renowned Oscars and BAFTA. Calling it brilliant and unmissable, Rockey Boys is a web series which is well-crafted and tightly written, showcasing 

[villings]

[trulyinspiringmovies]

The Breadwinner

“The Breadwinner” is a haunting film that cannot be unseen, unheard, or forgotten.

Parvana and her father, Nurullah, work to sell goods at the market. Nurullah teaches Parvana the history of Kabul in the form of a story. A former student of Nurullah comes to demand respect from him because he is now a member of the Taliban. Nurullah refuses and is arrested without charge later that day. Parvana, her older sister, and their mother cannot leave the house without a male present because the Taliban forbids it. Parvana takes it upon herself to venture out to provide for her family and vows to find her father.

I’m beating myself up over not watching this sooner. A couple of years back, I saw this film garnering some praise and attention, but never really checked it out. Now, after going through Cartoon Saloon’s library of animated films, I finally sat down and watched “The Breadwinner”. This movie is the perfect example of why the medium of film, and even art itself, is so important. Through this film, I was able to peer into the life of a girl growing up in Kabul during the Taliban’s Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan for just a small moment. What I felt could simply be over once I turned off the television and walked away. For those experiencing the ongoing war, it’s not as simple. The use of animation makes this heart-wrenching story more digestible, which is needed because this is an important story to tell. Parvana’s journey, both externally and internally, spoke to me louder than any news article ever could. The story that she tells to her baby brother evolves from a simple bedtime story to the core of her strength as she adopts it as her own. The tragedy of this reality is captured tastefully and without a hint of disrespect. The antagonist felt terrifyingly real and was a constant threat every time he appeared on the screen. The ending of this film blew me away and I feel like I need to show this movie to everyone. Please, watch this movie if you can. It’s an important movie that deserves more recognition. It’s a movie that, by its very own nature, will be glanced over by many. Give this movie that chance that it so truly deserves.

★★★★★

Watched on January 3rd, 2022

[happymeishappylife]

Movie I Watched in 2020

I brought back my Friday Night Movie Nights, where I would watch movies every Friday Night as a way to relax after the work week. Because of that I got to see a lot great films, a lot of diverse films, and listen to some great stories. Here’s the list, with a special review of my top 10:

1. Klaus

Christmas may have passed, but that honestly doesn’t matter. I watched this movie in May and balled my eyes out at just how beautiful a message this movie delivered. It was magical not because of how it tied into the holiday, but by how it was able to paint such a beautiful character arc and journey. I highly recommend this if you want to be reminded of your own potential and the joy of being kind.

2. Taare Zameen Par

Another movie where I cried my eyes out. I know that certain issues are felt around the world, but I’ve never seen how other countries deal with them and this movie did so in both heartbreaking ways and overwhelming hearfelt ways. The story involves a boy who is dyslectic and how he can’t preform in a regular school or to his families views and so gets sent to a boarding school to help him, but it absolutely wrecks him until they hire an art teacher who not only gets through to him, but understands him because he too has dyslexia. It’s one of the more impressive bollywood movies I’ve ever seen.

3. The Breadwinner

A hard and yet amazing tale of courage from a young girl who wants nothing more than to help her family. Understanding what is going on in parts of the world that are not your own is why movies and stories can be so powerful and watching Parvana risk her life to help feed her family after her father gets imprisoned is just that.

4. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure

An older film, but there is a reason why its so beloved: It’s absolutely hysterical and such a fun time. My parents and I watched this virtually together and laughed so hard. Bill and Ted may be goofy high school boys who don’t pronounce names correctly, but the fact they can gather up so many historical figures for their report and learn something from the little time they spent travelling through time, is impressive. Good to know that telephone booths and boxes are the way to time travel.

5. Train to Busan

For years, Philip Defranco praised this movie and told his audience several times to watch it. Well I finally listened and realized he was right. This movie is fantastic and Korea not only perfected a zombie movie, but gave it heart to the point where I nearly wanted to cry at the end. Because this movie has so much depth beyond just killing zombies, it gets lifted beyond its genre to be just a great movie.

6. V for Vendetta

“Remember, remember, the fourth of November.” It’s funny that I happened to watch this movie for the first time now, in the year 2020 with a plague set about the world because that’s the setting for the movie. And with a corrupted authoritative government, the tale to fight back and fight for justice rings true louder than ever before.

7. Miss Virginia

What would you do to make sure your child could get the education they deserved? Because Virginia Walden is an amazing woman who found resources and allies to not only get her son into a better school, but helped a lot of families get their children scholarships in the DC area. This is a fictionalized story of course, but the fact that Virginia did in fact fight so hard is powerful even if the circumstances are difficult to handle. We need better education in the states. Especially for our low income and minority neighborhoods which means dismantling the racial injustice sewn into our systems.

8. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

Another fictionalized account of a true story, but truly what an incredible human being is William Kamkwamba. Seeing how his family and his village is destroyed by lack of rain and have been left to starve, he cleverly figures out a way to bring irrigation to his farm and change their outcome. He does this after he gets kicked out of school for not having enough money to pay the fees by simply reading about it in a magazine he finds in the school library and figuring out the rest. It’s brilliant and inspiring.

9. Song of the Sea

A magical and absolutely stunning animated film that tells the tale of a family who has lost much, but has been gifted by the life of a selkie who can help save the mystical world around them. But as Ben still struggles with the death of his mother, he is reluctant to help his sister save the day until he seas what she can do, even if she can’t speak. Its sad at times, but the beauty is in the way it weaves its Irish tales and beliefs into such a wonderful story makes for a good movie.

10. 37 Seconds

Seeing what people can do when they believe in themselves and find people who believe in them, is powerful. Watching Yuma shake off the overprotection of her mother in pursuit to be a great manga artist, we see that while she may have cerebral palsy, she is still capable of living her life on her own. Plus she finds new friends who don’t treat her disability as the main thing about her and allow her to live and have her own adventures for the first time. Its hard at times. It’s funny. And it’s a reminder that people are people no matter what struggles they are living through.

Other Movies I watched this year:

11. Your Name

12. Pachamama

13. Wonder Woman 1984

14. The Lego Movie 2

15. Burlesque

16. Poltergeist

17. Enola Homes

18. The Cabin in the Woods

19. Get Out

20. Ip Man 4

21. Kabi Kushi Kabhi Gham

21. The Twins Effect 2

22. Roma

23. The Impossible

24. Moonlight

25. The Grudge

26. Self/Less

27. A Silent Voice

28. See You Yesterday

29. Jupiter Ascending

30. Salt

31. A Quiet Place

32. Atlantics

33. Insidious

34. Moonlight

35. All Day and a Night

36. Code 8

37. Rim of the World

38. The Lobster

Plus the movies I rewatched this year:

Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie

Cardcaptor Sakura: The Sealed Card

How to Train Your Dragon

[itsteddydarling]

My Favorite Underrated Films (Part Two)

The Breadwinner (2017):

Directed by Nora Twomey. Growing up under the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001, an eleven year old girl named Parvana must disguise herself as a boy in order to help her family survive after her father is imprisoned. Using beautiful animation, this movie shows the true power of love and family, as well as the magic of storytelling. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Picture, and it’s based on a book series written by Deborah Ellis.

Ponyo (2008):

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki. A retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid”, one of the most popular fairy tales in the world, Ponyo is a goldfish that falls in love with Sosuke, a little boy that found and rescued her. Despite her father’s warnings about humans and their world, Ponyo uses magic to reunite with Sosuke, accidentally unleashing a giant storm that causes the worlds of both humans and ocean to collide. With breathtaking scenery, as well as a message about environmental protection, it was also nominated for Best Animated Picture.

Brother Bear (2003):

Directed by Aaron Blaise and Bob Walker. Kenai is a young man that’s transformed by spirits into a bear after his anger and impulse led to a tragic mistake. He must now try to find the Northern Lights to undo his transformation, and throughout his journey learns the importance of perspective and to let love connect him to the world around him. The songs by Academy Award winner Phil Collins are amazing, and I feel like Joaquin Phoenix, who voiced Kenai, might have personally connected with this film. Another nominee for Best Animated Picture.

[starwarsnonsense]

Top 10 Films of 2018 (So Far)

Since I quite like continuing old traditions, I wanted to do a post rounding up what I consider to be the ten best films of 2018 so far. This list includes a few films that came out in 2017 in the US, since they were only released here in the UK this year.

Have you seen any of the films I cover below? Have I piqued your interest in a title you might not have heard before? Let me know, and do share your favourites too!

1. Annihilation, dir. Alex Garland

This was my most anticipated film of the year, and my hype for it was more than rewarded. This is a marvellously rich and transporting science fiction film that isn’t afraid of taking the viewer to some very weird places. However, Annihilation doesn’t simply rely on its strangeness to succeed - it is also firmly rooted in its characters and themes, which has made it incredibly rewarding to return to. Natalie Portman is fantastic as Lena, and Annihilation is a brilliant showcase for her - Lena is a complex and frequently self-destructive character, riddled by guilt and regrets that shape the pulsating, luminescent world of the mysterious ‘Shimmer’ that she has to venture into. The Shimmer might seem like an environmental phenomenon at first, but it’s really more psychological, being a space that adapts according to the people who enter into it. This film overflows with fascinating and thought-provoking ideas, and it was entirely worth the hike I made over to Brooklyn to catch one of the final showings at the theatre (since Annihilation was denied a theatrical release in the UK, I made a point of seeing it while I was on holiday in New York). I think it will go down as one of the great science fiction films, and it belongs in the same conversations as 2001: A Space Odyssey and Solaris.

2. Beast, dir. Michael Pearce

This little British film - shot mostly on location in Jersey by a first-time director - was easily the biggest (and best) surprise I’ve had so far at the cinema this year. I literally had no idea this film existed until a day or so before I watched it, and that made the experience of viewing it even more wonderful. Moll (Jessie Buckley) is an isolated young woman who is stifled by her controlling family and quiet life on a remote island, as well as a secret sin that bubbles away underneath the surface. Her life is predictable - safe, repetitive and dull - until she meets Pascal, a mysterious local man who she finds she has an affinity with. However, there is a murderer haunting the island, taking the lives of young girls in the night. Who’s to blame, and what impact will the killings have on Moll and Pascal’s swiftly escalating romance? While that is a synopsis more than a review, I felt it necessary to explain the premise to try and compel you to seek this one out. Beast is raw, woozy and utterly absorbing - the love story between Moll and Pascal is one of the most passionate and gripping you’ll ever see on screen, and their chemistry is simply sensational. There’s a real gothic, fairy-tale edge to the story which appealed perfectly to my (admittedly rather niche) tastes. This is a real hidden treasure of a film - do yourself a favour and make it your mission to watch it.

3. Lady Bird, dir. Greta Gerwig

This film was so, so relatable, despite my not really having experienced an adolescence anything like “Lady Bird’s”. While the details of her life are very different from mine, I think anyone can relate to the sweeping brushstrokes - the tensions that can arise between parents and children, the thirst for freedom and independence that builds the closer you get to the final days of school, and the feelings of love and loyalty that are always there even when they’re unspoken. Greta Gerwig captures all of this and so much more with marvellous delicacy, balancing little moments that add colour and spark with more serious scenes so deftly that it’s amazing to think that this is her first feature. Lady Bird is a very specific and very beautiful film, and it’s special precisely because it feels universal even as it feels small and personal to its director. 

4. Eighth Grade, dir. Bo Burnham

This is the perfect double bill with Lady Bird, and the people who have dubbed this film “Lady Bird Jr” are right on the money. Elsie Fisher has a real star turn as the heroine Kayla, who is a very special child - she’s kind, sensitive and thoughtful, which basically means she’s my kind of superhero. But even as she is a good and sweet person, she is also going through all of the trials you’d expect a 13 year old to be facing in 2018, as she wrestles with acne, confusing feelings about super-dreamy boys, and the escalating anxiety that comes with a comment-free Instagram post. Like Lady Bird, this film succeeds in being both very specific and highly universal - the only social media I had to deal with as a teen were MySpace and Bebo, and I found that seeing Kayla wrestle with a whole kaleidoscope of feeds, devices and platforms made her strong grip on her integrity as a  funny and deeply warm-hearted individual all the more remarkable. Bo Burnham, as with Gerwig, made a pretty incredible film here - in particular you should watch out for the father/daughter dynamic, which is my favourite part. Eighth Grade is funny and generous, and the perfect medicine if you’re feeling demoralised by the state of the world right now.

5. The Breadwinner, dir. Nora Twomey

The Breadwinner is a really lovely animated film telling the story of Parvana, a young girl living with her family under the Taliban. When her father is taken off to prison, Parvana sees no other choice but to dress as a boy to provide for her mother and siblings. But how long will her disguise last? The story here was what really gripped me - it’s very simple, in both the telling and the themes, but it is truly beautiful in that simplicity. The emotions are very raw, and this film goes to some shockingly dark places at times - while I think it can be watched with children as long as they are mature enough for some challenging themes and upsetting moments, it’s likely to speak most strongly to adult audiences with a fuller appreciation for the context in which the film is set. It’s a great and moving alternative to more mainstream animated efforts, and is well worth your time.

6. Phantom Thread, dir. Paul Thomas Anderson

This was a delightfully twisted film with an absorbingly complicated and twisty relationship at its centre. Vicky Krieps is an absolute marvel as Alma, and it’s wonderful to see how she battles to bring the fragile and austere designer  Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) to heel. It’s also a beautiful film with rather fabulous fashions - if you love couture, particularly from the ‘50s, this will be a real treat. I also appreciated the many allusions to classic cinema - there are strong shades of Hitchcock’s Rebecca, as well as the underrated David Lean film The Passionate Friends. Check this out if you like your romantic dramas weird and entirely unpredictable.

7. Revenge, dir. Coralie Fargeat

Revenge is angry, sun-soaked and batshit insane - and it is pretty great for all of those reasons. It follows Jennifer, the teenage mistress of a sleazy married man. After a horrifying assault Jennifer returns, phoenix-like, to wreak her revenge upon her attackers. This movie was very much inspired by exploitation flicks, with their penchant for showing scantily clad (and frequently bloody) women wielding shotguns to hunt down the brutes who did them wrong. However, first-time director Coralie Fargeat takes every one of those tropes and owns them, ramping up the blood and giving the action a propulsive energy that keeps you gripped even as you know exactly where things are going. The soundtrack here is also one to look out for - it’s all pulsating synths that do a great job of building the suspense and tension from the get-go.

8. Lean on Pete, dir. Andrew Haigh

This is a very painful film in many ways, but it’s only painful because it does such a great job of earning your emotional investment. The lead of this film is Charley, a sensitive and quiet teenage boy who becomes attached to an ailing race horse as he seeks to escape his troubled home-life. When he finds himself in crisis, Charley takes the horse and they head off on a journey across the American heartland. Charlie Plummer is extraordinary as the lead here - Charley is the kind of character that makes you want to reach through the screen so you can offer him a hug of reassurance and support. The photography of the American countryside is exquisite, and means this film really deserves to be seen on the big screen - the breadth of the landscape gives all of the emotional drama some (richly deserved, in my view) extra punch.

9. You Were Never Really Here, dir. Lynne Ramsay

This is a very weird film (you’re probably noticing a theme at this point) but it’s completely absorbing. It’s very much actor-led, and the film rests on the shoulders of Joaquin Phoenix’s gripping and unpredictable performance - in some scenes he’s muttering in deference to his mother like a modern-day Norman Bates, while in others he’s portrayed almost as a lost boy in an overgrown body, disorientated by his environment and engaging in acts of extreme violence as if in a sort of trance. The narrative is fuzzy and unfocused, but I didn’t find that mattered much since I was too busy following every evolution of Phoenix’s face.

10. Thoroughbreds, dir. Cory Finley

Olivia Cooke and Anya Taylor-Joy make fantastic foils to one another as two appallingly privileged teenagers whose obscene wealth is only matched by their resounding lack of morals. This is a film that plays with your loyalties, trying to wrong-foot you at every turn - it’s frequently difficult to figure out what’s genuine here, and while that did sometimes leave me feeling a bit emotionally detached that’s usually the point. This film is more of an intellectual puzzle than a lean, mean, emotion-extracting machine (see: Lean on Pete), and it succeeds brilliantly on that level. The simplicity of the story means the fun lies in picking apart lines and expressions, so go in prepared for some close viewing.

[myfoolishfotography]

light a few candlesand burn a few bridges.not everyone deservesto be a part of your journey.~parvana #MyFoolishFotography

#DebraFerragamoHayesPhotography

[babylove007]

We carried jugs of water home from work We carried solar power lanterns along the gravel road, The toilet did not flush, Without a bucket sent down our cement well, And even those didn't get far, And then try to balance a furnace, water tank, the well, and the electricity, While the neighbours syphoned the hydro next door on a bad line, And you didn't investigate because you didn't care

"Nothing to see here"

I'm the girl with the grandmother from Parvana's Journey, That dies on the landmines, no matter how light I step Or the weight I lose, "Welcome to my home, here is my food, here is my nana, please make yourself at home. Don't worry the landmines can't get me, I'm too fast." Grief and truth landmines get me in the end, But I'll make sure we never forget who placed them there in the 1st place.

[zetheweirdo]

oh my god!! I have the breadwinner and I've seen all 3 of these movies! And guess what! There are sequels to the breadwinner. (the book)

If you're interested in them, they are called:

Parvana's Journey

Mud City

and

My Name Is Parvana.

As well as an informal book:

Kids of Kabul, Living Bravely Through a Never-ending War.

Honestly the first book (haven't read the rest sadly) and the movie are so good. You really should check them out, as well as Song of The Sea and The Secret of Kells. Really hope Cartoon Saloon keeps up the good work. 👍

#come through baba

[torontoting]

Favourite book?

The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis!It’s actually a series, so there’s also Parvana’s Journey, Mud City & My Name Is Parvana.Without giving too much away, it’s about an 11 year old girl, Parvana, who is forced by circumstances to be the breadwinner for her family in a war-torn Taliban-era in Afghanistan.I highly recommend :)