#razaq the breadwinner

[cicidarkarts]

As some of you may know, I think Idrees and Razaq had a mentor mentee relationship during the war in Afghanistan. Poor Idrees just wants a good father figure in his life

Original Meme

[lefty-of-the-day]

Today's lefty of the day is Razaq from Breadwinner

[purplebutterflysthings]

Okay honest opinion, what do you think of him?

He’s personally my favorite character in the movie, Razaq though did not have a good start in movie as being shown that he’s in the Taliban and it seems like he doesn’t really want to be there.

He becomes more interesting when we learn about his wife’s death and see him almost start crying. And then him actually helping Parvana after finding out she’s a girl and risking his life for her father. Razaq genuinely seemed like a good man in bad times and the friendship between him and Parvana was so sweet🩵🩵❤️

What do you guys think?

[buttercup-barf]

happy father’s day

what better way to celebrate than doodle every iteration of that one character in every cartoon saloon movie that is always my favourite

[44del]

haha hey guys just a reminder to READ THE CHARACTER’S BIOS AFTER WATCHING THE BREADWINNER haha

[scrawnydutchman]

‘The Breadwinner’ Movie Review (Spoiler Free)

It has been too damn long since I’ve put together a film review for this blog, due mostly to the fact that it’s been too long since I’ve seen a film. I’ve been a busy bee as of late and my year is only expected to get busier. As a result I missed out on a TON of great animation from 2017. I still haven’t seen Loving Vincent, I still haven’t seen Don Hertzfeldt’s new film, you get the idea. But I HAVE found the time to see the latest film in the repertoire of Cartoon Saloon, the Irish studio behind such phenomenal work as The Secret of Kells and my favorite film The Song of the Sea. That said . . . The Breadwinner may very well take The Song of the Sea’s place. What can I say except Cartoon Saloon does it again! Based on the book of the same name (otherwise known as Parvana), This film does everything Cartoon Saloon always does masterfully with a take on a culture they haven’t adapted yet. Wonderful composition, elegant hand drawn frame by frame animation, effective colour, wonderful voice acting, heart wrenching drama and clever experimentation await you in this masterpiece of 2017.

PLOT SYNOPSIS & CRITIQUE:

Parvana is an eleven year old little girl living in early 2000s Afghanistan under the complete control of the Taliban. She lives with her ill mother, her argumentative older sister, her adorable little brother and her kindhearted father in poor conditions, but together they are complete. Things change though when her father is placed under arrest and taken away by the Taliban. With no man old enough to earn the family food and water, Parvana has the idea of disguising as a boy to get what she needs for her families survival and goes on a venture to find and save her father. Will she be able to reunite her family in spite of all odds?

This film really puts you in the shoes of this little girl and her family in such a desperate situation and it is both parts disturbing and enchanting. A good chunk of this film is just her life trying to gather food and water without getting into trouble and along the way you see imagery of desperate mothers trying to defend themselves and their children and abusive older men cheating and overpowering children. Even though the camera pans away from a great deal of the violence and the effect is shown through reaction shots it’s pretty disturbing. I’d maybe shy away from showing this film to very young kids; maybe only show them at the age of 10 years old or something. The climax of this film is ESPECIALLY powerful and heart wrenching; I don’t dare spoil it but I can easily say it absolutely floored me. On the flipside, Cartoon Saloon manages to use their signature storytelling methods to give an otherwise gloomy story a necessary dosage of enchantment. A great aspect of this film is an ongoing story being told by Parvana to different people along her adventure, told sort of like a myth or a folktale that really integrates some culture. Much like the mythological edge of Song of the Sea the story mirrors the events of the main plot in an indirect way. It’s brilliantly subtle and creative and The Breadwinner executes it with nuances in character action and stunningly executed imagery. Speaking of the visuals . . .

ANIMATION & DESIGN CRITIQUE:

When talking about a Cartoon Saloon production, can you expect anything short of breathtaking? Frame by frame traditional animation has become something of a taboo subject in recent years in that many will claim it’s the “black and white” of animation. 3D animation seems to be more desirable by the general public and whenever 2D happens you’re more likely to expect rigged cutout animation on TV as it’s more efficient and cost effective. That being said, The Breadwinner proves that in spite of all these claims the beauty and shear majesty of a good hand drawn animated film will never fade. This film will last because it’s subtle movements and charming design are a sight for anyone to behold. Perhaps the most impressive thing to me about this film is just how on model every character is all the time. I watched through this film deliberately looking for inconsistencies after a certain point and don’t think I found any. I’m a hand drawn animator myself so I know what to look for. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW HARD IT IS TO KEEP HAND DRAWN ANIMATION ON MODEL, ESPECIALLY WITH MOVEMENT AS SLOW AND AS SUBTLE AS THIS??? I think part of what makes this more practical to achieve is  Cartoon Saloons simple but beautiful approach to character design. Heads are large spherical shapes so their expressions are visible even from a distance. Their noses are only a few lines at the time and make for perfect symmetry in their faces. Many of the men and women in this film are modeled similarly so alternating from model to model is a simple transition. Turthfully for how crisp and manageable Cartoon Saloons designs are I think they’re definitely worth studying when it comes to developing your own look for a show. Their backgrounds and frame composition are excellent too. They always have such a high amount of depth and pop in colour; I could snapshot every frame of this movie and hang it in my house as art. Not to mention a lot of these choices serve as a symbolic callback to returning themes of the film. The choices made for the movies visuals are simply wonderful; I could go on forever.

Now, remember when I said this film had an aspect of mirroring the main plot with a sort of mythological children’s tale? Well, that part of the film has a completely different animation style to it than the main plot. Rather than traditional animation it takes on a paper puppet cutout aesthetic; similar to the works of Lotte Reineger (in fact I think one part of this film straight up homages it but I could be wrong). This aesthetic is charming and as well executed as the rest of the film and REALLY implores some clever methods of showcasing things like rain and clouds. This film is eye candy from beginning to end.

Voice Acting & Character Critique

Those of you reading who are advocates of an ethnically accurate cast for a film centered around one culture will be pleased to know that everyone in this film is authentically Afghan and that every character does a fantastic job in executing their character. Saara Chaudry plays a compassionate but brave Parvana and does an excellent job carrying this movie. Ali Badshah plays a gentle and eloquent father and instantly wins the viewers affection despite his limited screentime. Soma Chhaya plays a streetwise Shauzia who makes a great foil and partner for Parvana. Kawa Ada plays Razaq, a Taliban soldier who has a good heart despite his alignment and quickly became among my favorite characters after his little arc. I could go on and on, but truthfully my comments are the same everytime; this entire cast is amazing. But one particular character and performance stands out in my mind among all others. Laara Sadiq as the mother, Fattema. Throughout the film she’s a sickly and weak mother, but within the climax .  . . .. HOOOOOOLY SHIT does she get one of the most suspenseful and exciting scenes. I don’t dare spoil it but man, it’s the highlight of the movie for me. Those who have seen it probably know what I’m talking about. 

Music & Sound Critique

To be honest, I’m always not very sure what to say about this section. Even the worst movies I review in my blog tend to be serviceable at the very least in this category. The Breadwinner, however, once again succeeds. The movie has a culture even deeper enriched by it’s soundtrack of middle eastern instrumentals and it effectively immerses the viewer in the environment. Whenever a scary moment happens in this film the sound effects and music are perfectly mixed in such a way that almost assaults the senses (in a good way). The sound always beautifully coincides the visuals and further amplifies the beauty of each reoccurring symbol.

Conclusion

The Breadwinner  is a visual marvel you absolutely cannot afford to miss out on. Everything about it from the beautiful designs to the clever use of symbolism to the engaging story (ESPECIALLY the climax) is something that must be seen to be believed. This film frankly should have won best animated feature for it’s year. I know that Pixar always wins it because the Academy is uneducated as shit, but . . . MAN does this film need to be talked about more. All well. Cartoon Saloon always recieves a nomination for their films and that’s a strong presence for a team keeping 2D animation alive. For that I am thankful. Go check this out; you won’t be disappointed.

Plot: 1/1

Visuals: 1/1

Characters & Performance: 1/1

Music & Sound Design: 1/1

Overall: 4 out of 4. A Masterpiece.

[deltamovies]

The Breadwinner Free Full HD watch online & movie trailer

Release Year: 2017

Rating: 7.7/10 ( voted)

Critic's Score: /100

Director: Nora Twomey

Stars: Saara Chaudry, Laara Sadiq, Shaista Latif

Storyline A headstrong young girl in Afghanistan disguises herself as a boy in order to provide for her family.

Writers: Anita Doron, Deborah Ellis, Saara Chaudry, Laara Sadiq, Shaista Latif, Saara Chaudry, Laara Sadiq, Shaista Latif, Ali Badshah, Noorin Gulamgaus, Kawa Ada, Soma Chhaya, Kanza Feris, Ali Kazmi, Kane Mahon, Reza Sholeh, Mran Volkhard, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cast: Saara Chaudry –

Parvana

(voice)

Laara Sadiq –

Fattema

(voice)

Shaista Latif –

Soraya

(voice)

Ali Badshah –

Nurullah

(voice)

Noorin Gulamgaus –

Idrees / Sulayman

(voice)

Kawa Ada –

Razaq

(voice)

Soma Chhaya –

Shauzia

(voice) (as Soma Bhatia)

Kanza Feris –

Sorceress / Woman in courtyard

(voice)

Ali Kazmi –

Darya / Fruit juice vendor / Jail warden / Various

(voice)

Kane Mahon –

Kiln Owner

(voice)

Reza Sholeh –

Stall Seller / Fruit Seller / Guard Man on Bike / Teenage Boy #2

(voice)

Mran Volkhard –

Mega-phone & a market seller.

(voice)

Country: Ireland, Canada, Luxembourg

Language: English

Release Date: 3 Jan 2017

Technical Specs

Runtime: 94 min

Did You Know?

Trivia: First feature film project for Guru Studio. See more »

The post The Breadwinner appeared first on The Movie Entertainment of the 21st Century!.

from http://ift.tt/2heTo3v

[cicidarkarts]

Can you list your favorite characters in order? (Aside from Idrees) and explain why you that way about them? Like an explanation on how you feel about them? It’s nice to know there’s other people in the fandom of the breadwinner still talking about it. 💜💙 You fanart is always slaying!

D… Don't talk about Idrees?? fangirl brain short-circuits

Okay but yeah, I do have thoughts on the other characters as well, just not as crazy in-depth headcanons (mostly). I can't really say that any of these characters are in order because I haven't thought to number them.

WITH ONE EXCEPTION.

Shauzia??? ;0; Gurl, can we just talk about how much I love this chaos gremlin? She's the type of mf who is like "have I ever steered you wrong?" knowing 100% she fuckin has. She's somehow even more of a chaotic demon in the book. omg Parvana do you want to be a grave digger?? omg Parvana let's sell our wares in this totally not bizarre arena full of very angry men and then be traumatized when we see another man's hands get cut off.

I love this girl. On one of those Alignment Charts, she would be Chaotic Neutral. Also she's adorable?? Like how, that's illegal.

I do have a headcanon about the girls that involves Shauzia dragging Parvana into the underbelly of Afghanistan where all the debauchery secretly takes place and stumbling upon the metalhead anarchist society. Unfortunately, my headcanons end there because brain is obsessed with Idrees so that's what I'm forced to follow.

(me right before I sneeze)

But yes, Shauzia is my second favorite character. I love that she's so assertive where she can be, despite her circumstances. She really had Parvana's back no matter what, and it pained me that the movie just kinda left her hanging at the end. We truly did NOT have enough time to wrap everything up.

More below the cut!

Parvana had some of the greatest parts in the entire movie.

Parvana is a strong character who wants to do what's right. Witnessing the horrors around her could've broken her, but she didn't let it. She didn't let it taint her views of right and wrong, she didn't let it break down her spirit. She fought every day to get what she needed and wanted. Parvana went from shut down and trying to avoid confrontation to confident and independent over the course of this movie. She lost sight of herself a few times but always came back around due to her strong moral compass.

Parvana is a fascinating character, proactive and powerful, and much better in the movie than in the book imo. She was the Mom Friend. She just wanted to comfort people and make them feel better, kiss their wounds where she could, and she would give you the shirt off her back if it didn't reveal that she's actually a girl. She's brave and an amazing MC to follow.

Underrated Queen, hello??? Can we talk about how Fattema was a badass for most of this movie? Her husband was taken away, she had no idea if she would ever see him again, she risked her life going out to try and appeal his case, and then after she got the absolute shit beaten out of her, she still managed to escort Parvana back to the "safety" of their house.

The realism of her depression after this was so sad to witness. How she wanted so badly to be there for her children whom she loves so much but was literally and figuratively beaten down by the system at every turn. Her worry over her daughters and son, how she fought so many times. The end of her arc? Where she stood up for herself and her family, asserted her dominance by proving that she was "insane" to this shitty man, and WON?? Oh my god, I was going feral. What an absolute badass.

(yeah that's right, fafo; this guy is fucking terrified of her I'm dead)

Okay I'm ngl Parvana's sister Soraya was like not even on my radar most of the time, I'm sorry ;-; I feel bad because she was a sweet older sister who supported Parvana. They had a lovely sibling relationship that was full of teasing and affection. But they didn't take the time to give her more than that. So she's more of a footnote in the characters to me, which sucks. :( I didn't even remember her name, I had to look it up, I'm so sorry 😭

If you go into the dictionary and look up the word sweetie pie, you'll find a picture of this man. Don't worry, I'll wait.

Nurullah lived his life considering women as his equals. People who deserved love and respect and education just as much as any man. He's a soft-spoken sweetheart who just wanted to teach his daughters how to think for themselves so they could grow up as strong women (as much as they could be in this environment). He risked his life lying to a member of the Taliban and unfortunately paid the price dearly. His state at the end of the movie was heartbreaking to witness and I can't even imagine the abuse he endured while in Pul-e-Charkhi.

Yet this man still smiles when he is reunited with his family. This man still has his spirit despite the abuse and neglect and the wars he's been through. We don't give him the credit he deserves for being a sweet, kindhearted person in spite of everything this world threw at him. Fattema is a lucky woman to have gotten with this cinnamon bun of a man.

(Zaki) ghiagahiohhrklh;nklj HE'S ADORABLE I'M LITERALLY SHAKING AND CRYING RN 😭😭😭😭 But also he's like 2 years old so there's not much to say about him but holy fuck he's soooo cute I'm gonna cry

Who is this man he's ADORABLE???

how the fuck 😭😭 HOW DID HE GET HERE?? He teleported dude, I'm scared

If you go into the dictionary and look up the word teddy-

Razaq is one of the more interesting characters in this movie. He's very complex and-- what if I just immediately moved onto the next character that would be so

LOOK AT THIS SWEETHEART CINNAMON BUN CUTIE PATOOTIE THERE ARE NO THOUGHTS BEHIND THESE EYES HE HAS TO RUB TWO BRAIN CELLS TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET HOME BECAUSE HIS THOUGHTS ARE ONLY CANDY WHO ARE YOU UNNAMED CANDY MAN I NEED TO KNOW

Okay I'll be serious, I'm sorry. I actually really enjoy Razaq. He's a jaded man who doesn't seem like he really wants to be serving the Taliban. I wish we could've gotten more into why he's doing it, because he seems like the antithesis of everything the Taliban stands for. I'd like to believe he's only here to stop the young people (like Idrees) from doing extremely stupid things and getting themselves or other people hurt. But we're never given an explanation.

That scene in which Parvana reads him that letter about his wife's death, and he leaves without another word, was a heart-wrenching scene. He was trying so hard not to cry. LOOK AT HIM ;-; Nooooo

Razaq shows us that not every man in Afghanistan wants to beat and oppress women, even though these types of man aren't exactly in the majority, or are perhaps just silent for fear of retaliation (which we see a lot as well). It's such a mind-fuck that Parvana reflects upon it in confusion. "Up until then, she had seen Talibs only as men who beat women and arrested her father. Could they have feelings of sorrow, like other human beings?"

Razaq puts himself in grave danger for Parvana, a young girl he barely knows and owes nothing. This ends up with him getting into a physical altercation with one of the guards at Pul-e-Charkhi, in which Razaq gets shot but survives (as far as we know). He pulled Nurullah out of there to fulfill his promise to Parvana. He lost everything but still gave it his all for this little girl just to see some hope in her eyes.

My name is Suleiman. My mother is a writer. My father is a teacher. And my sisters always fight each other. One day I found a toy on the street. I picked it up. It exploded. I don't remember what happened after that… Because it was the end.

[cicidarkarts]

War Stories (Parts 1-5)

Summary: A small supplementary anthology of Idrees' time in the war. From his mentor and mentee relationship with Razaq to his disillusionment with religion to his abusive relationship with his father, Idrees attempts to journal his thoughts. Contains: cursing, graphic violence, religion & atheism, sexism

Part 1: Family. Friends. War.

Idrees’ uniform weighed him down, muggy and hot in the Afghanistan sun. He tried to pay attention to his orders but an assault rifle boomed in his head over and over. Deafening. Blood-curdling. His only respite was knowing his uncle would be going off with a different group, and that he wouldn’t have to look his father in the eye for the foreseeable future. But he hardly knew anyone in his group.

All he knew was the blood on his hands. Those two little girls—the teacher’s daughter and her friend—had both been in the line of fire when the… When his assault rifle discharged. He didn’t know if they were dead, but they were dead. They were dead and their blood rushed down his hands, dousing his skin in slimy, coppery red.

“Idrees!” called his group’s leader.

His head snapped up. He’d still been sitting in the back of their truck. The leader waved him over with a harsh glare behind his wild beard and brow.

“Get over here! Hurry up!”

Idrees stumbled to his feet and tried to find his legs. They just barely made it out of the truck and onto solid ground. Among the sandy, muddy orange dunes in the distance, more and more gunfire rang out, men screamed, explosions, and—

He shuddered, his stomach churning with hot adrenaline. The Taliban sounded so good at first. Family. Friends. The ability to change the world—to change his world—for the better. Opportunity and growth.

Idrees was led into shoddy trenches and pulverized buildings. He held his gun tight, the cold steel shocking his flesh. He could hardly remember what happened after that. Screaming. Crying. Gunfire. Blood splattering walls, explosions, running from grenades. Him vomiting in a ditch. One of his group snatched him by the shoulder and shoved him back into battle before he could even finish, spattering puke all along the ground.

Now he was in a medical tent, a medical officer tending a minor wound on his arm. Shrapnel, or something. He couldn’t remember. Everything had flown by in a blur of panic and cold sweats, sticking his skin to his uniform.

Another man was led into the tent. A huge, hulking man Idrees recognized even though he was covered in blood.

“Razaq?” asked Idrees, the first words he’d been cognizant of in several hours. “What happened to you?” Razaq asked as he took a seat on the medical cot beside Idrees. “I… I don’t remember.” “His leader got shot,” said the medical officer, who wasn’t dressed like a doctor but more like a soldier. “He’s lucky he just got some shrapnel in his arm. The other guy… Not so much.” “He’s dead,” Razaq said—less of a question, and more a statement of understanding.

Another medical officer peeled back Razaq’s clothes to tend to a bloody mess of a wound. Idrees looked away, not wanting to have another bout of vomiting.

“What happened?” Idrees asked as his own doctor finished bandaging him. “Shot,” Razaq said plainly. “I haven’t even seen combat yet. This doesn’t bode well.”

Idrees asked no further questions. Mostly because he could no longer think. Nothing made sense to him anymore. Family, friends, opportunity… His skin prickled as he tried to pick out anything in his memories that resembled those words.

Part 2: War Smells Awful

With Razaq’s veteran status, he took up the mantle of leader for Idrees’ group. He proved a much less chaotic leader, or maybe the shock of it all had worn down to the point Idrees could actually remember things.

Razaq led the group through US troops, employing a defensive strategy to keep everyone alive rather than rushing in with blazing steel and the thick stench of gunpowder. Dinky walkie-talkies kept Razaq and the group on track, ensuring they knew where other groups were, and where safe spots were located.

At one such safe spot, when gunfire had died down and night had taken over, Idrees and his group sat in an abandoned building, all hollowed out with only scraps of furniture left behind, a hole in the wall blown out by some remnant of the war. Most of the group gathered around the small fire they’d made to cook their MREs and chat rather obnoxiously about their day.

Idrees sat off to the side, holding a pen he’d taken from the medical bay, the back of an empty medical record splayed out on the ground in front of him. His shaking hand tried to write something on the page—anything at all. If he got it out of his head, he could get it out of his nerves. He hoped.

He was too busy trying to push his memories aside. Those little girls, dead in that hole in the ground. His leader shot to death just next to him, blood littering the walls, hot metal burning his nostrils. Smoke and smog and gunpowder. His heart pounded, sweat dripped down his face, his uniform stank like body odor and copper.

War smells awful.

Those were the only words he wrote, in the most quivery illegible handwriting. He couldn’t have written it worse if he tried.

“How are you holding up?” Razaq asked from behind. Idrees hid his paper as though caught doing something he shouldn’t have been. “I-I’m okay. I’m… Okay.” Razaq sat beside him, also covered in blood and smelling of body odor. “You don’t have to hide your journal around here, you know. I think you’re the only one in our group who can read.” Idrees let the paper float back to the dusty ground. “Not much of a journal anyway. What good is knowing how to write if I’m not a good writer.” “Words are powerful, even if they’re simple. I wish I’d learned to write when I was young.”

Idrees stared at his words. He put the pen back on the paper.

War smells awful. Words are powerful, even if they’re simple.

Part 3: I Carry That With Me

“Come on, come on!” Idrees strained, dragging his companion along the ground.

Blood smeared their path, his ally’s breathing labored and ragged. Gunshots unseen fired around him. How close were they? How long had it been? Idrees couldn’t tell. He pulled and strained, his hands slathered with blood and sand.

His ally had been upon his shoulder at first, until the position ripped open the wound and drained his blood across Idrees’ front. Dragging him by his backpack was less easy, but kept the makeshift bandages and tourniquet on his leg.

Idrees couldn’t even remember his ally’s name. Khalil? Kareem? He tried to keep him alive, encouraging him to think of his family.

“We’re almost there!” Idrees called, swallowing the bile that shot up his throat. “You’ll make it! Your family needs you!”

But that night, the man—Kareem—passed away in the medical tent.

Idrees shivered by the fire, his nerves shattered and destroyed. He’d barely cleaned himself. Water. A dingy bar of soap. Sopping wet clothes. Dried blood on his wrists stuck underneath his nails from constant scratching.

He took breaks only to write down his thoughts. He’d gotten a notepad from one of the medical tents, its yellowed, crinkled paper the perfect medium. Worn-down and ugly.

Though you’re dead and gone, your blood is still caked under my nails. I carry that with me. My failure. Your death. May Allah guide you, if He exis

He couldn’t finish it. His quivering hand dropped the pen. The stream of thoughts just kept coming out and he hadn’t expect to almost write… That.

He tore the paper off the notepad and threw it into the fire.

“Not going so well, eh, Idrees?” asked one of his allies. “No. Not really.” “Ehh, you either got it or you don’t,” said another. “One of my uncles could’ve been a great writer. I can’t even read.”

A few laughs followed, but none from Idrees. He couldn’t find the humor in it. In anything. His pounding heart took him away from the fire, over to his pack and dirty bedroll. Razaq watched him leave, and he hoped Razaq wouldn’t question it.

He laid in his bedroll, facing the night sky from the opening above him. Somehow, the stars were so peaceful. As if just below them, rage and fear didn’t ravage the land.

If only such things could come out when he had his notepad in hand…

Someone sat beside him. Idrees craned his neck to look up. Razaq.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Razaq said. “What happened to Kareem.” Idrees gripped his bedroll. “I couldn’t save him.” “We can’t save everybody. I wish we could.” “What will happen to his family?” “I don’t know.”

Idrees thought about those little girls again. The teacher’s daughter. Her friend. What happened to their families? When his teacher, Nurullah, was arrested, his daughter had the means to keep living for a while. But what kind of life is that? Living in fear, living a lie…

Maybe he understood better than he wished to admit.

Part 4: I Write So My Thoughts Don't Kill Me

Idrees shivered by the fire. Most of his allies had gone to sleep, but he hadn’t. It had been dark for a long, long time. He held his notepad, trying to get the words out of him.

They started out about the wars themselves. But as more and more of his allies slumbered, a brazen side of him clawed to the surface.

The stars are so peaceful, like war didn’t rage below them. Days bring about gunfire and blood. Smog chokes the sky. But night is when it ends. When I can write. Be myself. Think for myself.

I hate this. I hate this war. This is not what I was promised. Life was never meant to be this. I deserve to live free. We all do. I don’t care if I have to rip this page out and burn it. Women deserve to live free. Men shouldn’t be shackled to war and violence. This Holy War is anything but. I hate this. I hate this. I HATE THIS I HATE

His words devolved into rough scribbles before he had to stop. Breathing heavily, he ripped the page out of the notepad and tried to crumple it. But he couldn’t. Not yet. He read it again, reaffirming his beliefs. He read it again. Reaffirming his beliefs…

“You should be asleep,” said Razaq. Idrees crumpled the paper in his hands but did not cast it in the fire. “I know.” Razaq came to rest beside him, the firelight flickering and accentuating the deep bags under his eyes. “You really enjoy writing?” “I’m not sure. I just feel like I need to.” “What have you written about?”

His heart rushed in his ears and his shivering returned in full force. Idrees clutched his crumpled paper to his chest, trembling.

“Just the war,” he finally said. “It must feel good, to get it all out. Have a way to write down your thoughts. Mine just stay in my head.” “I can’t do that. They would kill me.” Razaq nodded, shutting his eyes. “They will. I envy you, able to read and write. I had a wife. Arranged marriage. She was fiery, independent, and strong-willed. I loved those things about her. She would tell me off when I did something wrong, and I thought that was brave and admirable. When I lost her, I lost a part of myself.”

Razaq clenched his fists against his trousers. Idrees reached out and put his hand on Razaq’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry, Razaq,” he said. “All I’ve wanted since then has been to write her a letter and send it to Heaven. She couldn’t read, but I’d like to think Allah would read it to her whenever she wanted to think of me.”

A pit settled in Idrees’ stomach. He’d never thought of writing like that. Profound and meaningful. He flattened out his crumpled page, folded it, and neatly put it inside of his backpack. Then he set his pen against a blank sheet and looked up to Razaq.

“I can teach you.”

Part 5: Indecency

Things spiraled out of control. During their patrol, his group came upon a young woman and her child, clearly abandoned in their destroyed town. She shuddered, clutching her young toddler son, her clothes tattered and torn. Indecent, she would be called. Indecent, Idrees may have once called her.

Razaq was the first to step between the group and the woman, telling his men to stand down. They berated her and told her to go “back home” and not be out without a man. Where that could be or who she had left, Idrees didn’t know. But the men didn’t take kindly to Razaq’s compassion.

It wasn’t the first time unrest stirred in their group. Ever since two of their men died and had been replaced with middle-aged Talibs—their beards streaked in grey and their minds set in their ways—they didn’t approve of Razaq’s defensive methods. They didn’t approve of Idrees’ nightly musings. And they certainly didn’t approve of a female uncovered without a mahram.

When one of the men, Tahmeed, lunged forward at the woman, Razaq shoved him back. Tahmeed threw a punch that bashed Razaq in the face. Then the other, Jasim, joined in on the attack. Despite Razaq’s huge frame, the two-on-one fight had him bashed this way and that.

Idrees’ heart thrashed in his chest like a caged animal. Seeing Razaq beaten and the rest of the group descend into screaming chaos surged adrenaline through his veins. He hardly had a moment to think before he threw the hardest punch he could into Jasim’s face.

Pain rang down his arm from the hit but he continued slamming his fists into the man’s face. Jasim punched his jaw, disorienting him enough that he had no idea where he was punching anymore. The woman screamed and shielded her child. Razaq subdued Tahmeed, holding him against the dusty ground. Idrees put Jasim into a headlock, trying to take the larger man down.

“Get out of here!” he screamed at the woman, who was frozen in wide-eyed terror. “GO!”

Her shaking legs wobbled for the first few steps, but she found her balance and darted off. All the while, Tahmeed and Jasim fought and punched and kicked like wild beasts beneath Razaq and Idrees. When the men finally tore away, leaving them all with bloody noses and bruised faces, their rage had died down, and things faded into an uneasy peace.

At one of the many medical bays dotted around the warzones, Razaq explained that they’d gotten into fist fights with US soldiers. It was taken at face value, and no one disputed the claim. For that sort of civil unrest, the Taliban would not be kind. 

Idrees tried to write down his thoughts that evening. It was quieter and more peaceful in the medical bay than anywhere he’d been for a long time, and the words flowed out of him.

Today, I came upon a woman, face uncovered and hair flying free. I was told to despise such a sight. To see her as indecent. But all I saw was a frightened human being, displaced by war, alone and in need. I could not see what was so indecent about that. Wherever she and her son may be, I hope that Allah guides them to safety. If such a being does exist.

[cicidarkarts]

Why do you like Idrees, you missin the whole point of the movie dawg

The whole point of the movie isn't "let's hate on Idrees". As we see in basically every single frame, the point of the movie (and the book, which I'll touch on) is the destruction and pain and damage that's caused by the ideological views and extremist actions of the Taliban. Places are run down, children are working, the elderly can't get proper care, there's no clean water.

(Dirty and smoggy)

(Both a child working and an old man who lost a leg in the wars)

(Broken windows, dirt, smog, a child working)

(This man doesn't even want to speak to Parvana and her mother, Fattema, for fear of retaliation from the Taliban)

(Shauzia and Parvana have a heart-to-heart on top of a fucking tank)

(These mfs can't even piss without thinking they're going to be blown up)

(Everyone here has to take dirty water from this same well in this dusty alcove)

(The general state of hawkers and beggars looks like this)

Of course the main aspect the movie shows us: women are not allowed to do… anything! It's to the point that women will get beaten just for being outside "uncovered".

(They whip her and she screams off-screen)

(Or even just without their mahram; we watch this unnamed Talib beat Fattema for being outside without a man)

(Looking away from Fattema's beating in shame)

(Here's a picture of a man in his element making candy, look at how happy he is :D What a cinnamon bun, we should all fangirl him instead)

We get glimpses of hope through the legends of Suleiman (same voice actor as Idrees for those who didn't know; means nothing, though; I'm not comparing the two, it's just trivia), and this hope is something that Parvana holds desperately onto. It's also what gives her the courage to stand and keep going at the end of the movie. I'll attempt to keep spoilers to a minimum.

Let's talk about the book, as it will come into play at least a few times, particularly when talking about Razaq. The book is somehow more depressing. There is no Suleiman legends to give us comfort and break up the tension. There is no hopeful ending (I'll try to keep spoilers to a minimum as well; it's a short book and I'd recommend just reading it). However, we get more glimpses of women going against the Taliban's laws; they make their own school, learn on their own, and are generally more cheeky, defiant, and independent (as much as they can be) in the book.

The book is based on the accounts of women living in Afghanistan at the time, and less so on the story of Parvana. This means the narrative is a bit more all over the place, and things happen without resolution, or things happen and are resolved quickly without Parvana's intervention. To be fair, that's more accurate to real life, but as a movie, The Breadwinner needed more cohesion, so there are things the book does that the movie doesn't (i.e., women in burqas begging on the streets "with babies sprawled in their laps"). And things the movie does that the book doesn't (i.e., Idrees isn't in the book). So let's talk about the victims of the Taliban. Which is every named character in the movie.

We'll start with Razaq. Razaq is like looking into Idrees' future. He's jaded, beaten down, depressed. He's an older man who lost his wife, whom he loved very much. He unfortunately cannot read his native language, and this infortmation is given to him by Parvana. It breaks him to know that his wife has been the casualty of war. He's generally seen as a kind man, so much in fact that Parvana has this to say about it: "Up until then, she had seen Talibs only as men who beat women and arrested her father. Could they have feelings of sorrow, like other human beings?"

Razaq is not named in the book. He also doesn't have a bigger role outside of this to the narrative. The movie does more with him, and gives him a chance to prove his kindness, how he's a veteran, with the Taliban out of feelings of necessity (see: indoctrination, a word which we'll use often) and religious duty. He is a man who loved his wife and risks himself to give Parvana her hope. The ending of the movie is made all the more powerful with him in the conclusion, rather than the book which took a more realistic but also narratively boring approach.

So why am I talking about Razaq when this question was about Idrees? Well, for one to prove that I was paying attention to the movie, and for two because there are parallels between Idrees and Razaq. That's why they were patrol partners. Why we saw Razaq trying to keep Idrees, young and full of himself with something to prove, on a leash. Not just to avoid hurting others, but also to avoid he himself getting hurt.

I think the movie shot itself in the foot by not giving us more of them as mentor and mentee, but then the movie has a lot of flaws (what happened to Shauzia in the end? We don't know) and I think they could've benefitted from a longer runtime and bigger budget. ANYWAY.

Idrees, like many young men at the time, was indoctrinated into this ideology, this totalitarian Emirate, this sexism and hatred, with the promise of power and freedom. Using his religion against him, he was made into an extremist, molded by the powers that be to do their bidding. As a young man, he cared only for what it gave him, and used said power to hurt his old teacher whom he perceived as wronging him.

There is no Idrees in the book. No one who fit the bill to be him, either, so unfortunately there's nothing in the source material I can draw from that will directly relate to him. There was also some supplementary material on him in the past that helped the viewer understand him more; however, I've been unable to find this (anyone who has it can let me know). Thank you to the wonderful, helpful commenter, @cmtoto1220, for gifting me the link to Idrees' bio! 😭 It's right here on Tumblr so I'll give you guys the link, but I'll also put Idrees' right here for easy viewing. Thank you so much!! https://44del.tumblr.com/post/671680841272967168/haha-hey-guys-just-a-reminder-to-read-the

(Now if you'll excuse me I'll be giggling, twirling my hair, and kicking my feet :3) Some spoilers for Idrees' character arc: At the end of his time in the movie, he's seen working for his uncle. It's bleak and dirty and black smoke spews from the factory. He and his uncle heckle Parvana and Shauzia (Aatish and Deliwar, respectively; in the book: Kaseem and Shafiq) and we see some of the culture around being a young boy in this time. It's not pretty and very physically violent. We can expect Idrees once had this same treatment and is now throwing his weight around.

When he discovers that Aatish is actually Parvana (the only man who realizes; apparently everyone else is fucking blind), Parvana retaliates in a very well-deserved moment. Let's take a look at it and laugh because it's honestly glorious. Even my fangirl ass loves it.

(He 100% deserved that)

(Decimated by that brick)

Idrees takes one his uncle's guns and the culmination of his character arc begins. The girls have wedged themselves into a crevice where Idrees can't reach them, and Idrees threatens them from outside. It's here we see that he's never actually used a gun (ummm y'all want him to go to war and you haven't taught him how to use a gun? ooookay). He fiddles with it as though trying to figure out how to use it from other men he's seen, all while talking some mad shit.

The gun discharges. The music stops. Idrees kneels there, breathing heavily, his nose bloodied, his eyes wide and fearful. Shit just got real. Too real. Everything he's been taught (see: indoctrinated into) has come to a head.

He scrambles back up the cliff without a word, being called off to war by his (now very angry) uncle. He doesn't speak a single word throughout the rest of the time we see him in this movie. His eyes are wide, he can't catch his breath, and he's carted away to war never to be seen again.

(Classic thousand-yard stare)

Let's be real: in reality, this man without any experience on the battlefield was one of the many, MANY casualties of war. He went out after this experience and died. Most men who go to war die, and most of the men that do are young men who have never seen combat before.

Idrees saw what young men before him had never seen. He saw the power of his gun, he saw that he could take life in an instant. And he didn't like it. That is not the face of a man who revels in violence. That is the face of a man who was traumatized by the very idea of violence. The thought that he could've killed those kids haunts him. Brief edit: Pay attention to the scene in which he gets Nurullah arrested. Before this, he was loud and full of bravado. But afterwards? The way he speaks to Parvana, he sounds so muted, he walks off somberly, as though what he's witnessed here has shaken him. Despite knowing there is no man around to protect this family, Idrees never returns. He never comes back to harass Parvana or her family. Is that regret I smell? Guilt? Fear at what he's become; fear of his own choices?

I didn't pay attention much to Idrees at first. Yes, I saw him, I saw he was an asshole, I remember thinking to myself "oh great this asshole again" when I saw him stalking Parvana and her father (whose name is Nurullah in case you missed it), but I didn't immediately think lemme smash. Even during his last act when he returned, I groaned when I heard his voice and saw him calling the girls over. I was done with this dude.

But then I saw what happened, the conclusion to his arc, and everything started to click for me. The victimization, the fear, the destruction, everything that the Taliban caused for ordinary citizens, applied within as well. Idrees was young and stupid, as most young people are, and thought he could have everything. He was promised everything. But in the end, he had nothing. Just like Parvana forced to endure the horrors of her home so she and her family wouldn't starve. Just like Razaq having lost the only people he cared about. Just like Nurullah rotting in Pul-e-Charkhi.

I have my own tastes. People suffering from guilt after doing horrific things. See: Ominis Gaunt, torturing Muggles and Muggle-borns as a child, filled with guilt, trying to make up for what he's done in every way possible. People with traumatic experiences that follow them everywhere they go. See: Thief King Bakura, witnessing his entire village of Kul Elna being destroyed, his family murdered for the sake of creating the Millennium Items, now on a quest for vengeance. See also: Jet from Avatar: The Last Airbender, witnessing the Fire Nation take everything from him, who then goes on an anarchist crusade against all Fire Nation peoples, regardless of who got in his way. And people who suffer from religious persecution, lies, and deceit. See: Idrees.

So where do I, a fangirl with an interest in Arabic culture, religious trauma and guilt, traumatic experiences, PTSD, redemption arcs, and writing go from here? Well, clearly I write a continuation of Idrees' story. One where he doesn't die in the wars, and is instead haunted by survivor's guilt on top of everything else. Where he develops a mentor and mentee relationship with Razaq, sees through the lies and deception, and makes bold decisions that result in him running from the death that would follow being an apostate. He has to live with what he's done, what he's seen, what he didn't do. He takes great pains to ensure he's never like his past self ever again, never like his father or his uncle or any other Talib.

What he's seen and experienced and didn't do has traumatized him to the point he's trapped, suffocating under the weight of his actions, of feeling like at any point that part of him could come back which manifests in obsessive handwashing and other OCD rituals, flashbacks, panic attacks, anxiety, and self-imposed isolation.

I've done nothing as bad as Idrees. But I also suffer from panic attacks, anxiety, c-PTSD, guilt, intrusive thoughts. I love stories wherein a person is attempting to overcome their past despite drowning in self-hatred and hopelessness. Idrees is the perfect amalgamation of all of these things, the perfect vessel with which to explore these topics.

Plus, he's pretty hot. :)

(Lemme smash)

If you'd like a further deep-dive on Idrees' character, you can find me speaking on his age in this post: