Eleven-year-old Parvana lives with her family in one room of a tiny apartment building in war-torn Kabul. She grows up listening to stories told by her father while helping him in the marketplace, where he reads and writes letters for people to earn a living.

One day, her father is arrested by the authorities, and Parvana’s life is changed forever. During a time in a place where women are not allowed to leave home without men, her family is left without someone who can earn money or even shop for food.

To help, Parvana decides to cut her hair and disguise herself as a boy, turning herself into the breadwinner for the family. And though she is in danger of being discovered, she is resolved to find a way to rescue her father.

‘The Breadwinner’ is a wonderful tale of female empowerment and imagination in the face of oppression – and a celebration of the culture, history and beauty of Afghanistan. Executive-produced by Angelina Jolie, the film recently took the top prize at the Animation Is Film Festival in Los Angeles.