How 2017's best animated film came to be

Director Nora Twomey and her colleagues at Ireland’s Cartoon Saloon have made a habit of turning out some of Todd’s favorite animated films. From 2009’s The Secret of Kells to 2014’s Song of the Sea, the mini-studio makes beautiful, evocative films about the need for storytelling and the hard-earned magic of growing up. The company’s latest film — Twomey’s debut as sole credited director — is called The Breadwinner, and it traces the story of a young Afghan girl who is forced to take on the burden of making money for her family after her father is sent to prison. Since the film is set during the rule of the Taliban, the hero has to pose as a young boy to keep making money. This story is balanced against several others in a beautiful feat of storytelling. Twomey joins Todd to talk about The Breadwinner, her filmmaking philosophy, and finding kids who are also great voice actors.

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