New York-based animation distributor GKIDS announces that CEO/Founder Eric Beckman and SVP of Distribution David Jesteadt will executive produce — along with Angelina Jolie Pitt and others — The Breadwinner, the latest feature from two-time Oscar nominated studio Cartoon Saloon, directed by Nora Twomey (co-director, The Secret of Kells).
“We’ve been long-standing friends with everyone at Cartoon Saloon since those heady days when we celebrated our first Oscar nomination together for The Secret of Kells, and again five years later for Song of the Sea,” said Beckman and Jesteadt. “We knew we needed to be involved with The Breadwinner once we learned Nora would be bringing Deborah Ellis’ beautiful and compelling story to the big screen. We’re thrilled that this film marks our first foray into the creative process and we look forward to supporting Nora and the team in bringing their vision to audiences everywhere.”
The Breadwinner is based on the award-winning novel by Deborah Ellis. The story centers on Parvana, a brave young girl living under Taliban rule in Afghanistan who must disguise herself as a boy to become the breadwinner of the family when her father is unjustly imprisoned. A story of self-empowerment and imagination in the face of oppression, The Breadwinner also celebrates the culture, history and beauty of Afghanistan.
The Breadwinner is produced by Aircraft Pictures’ Anthony Leo and Andrew Rosen, Cartoon Saloon’s Tomm Moore and Paul Young, and Melusine Productions’ Stephan Roelants. It was announced yesterday that Canada’s Guru Studios has also joined the production and will contribute key creatives to the film.
An Ireland-Canada-Luxembourg co-production, Breadwinner will be produced with the participation of Telefilm Canada, the Irish Film Board, Film Fund Luxembourg, the Harold Greenberg Fund, Shaw Rocket Fund, the OMDC and the BAI along with Gaia Entertainment and the Artemis Rising Foundation.
