Nora Twomey Will Direct Cartoon Saloon’s Next Film ‘The Breadwinner’

Cartoon Saloon’s next animated feature will be The Breadwinner, based on the bestelling novel by Deborah Ellis. The announcement was made by the studio’s co-founder Paul Young at last weekend’s Irish VFX & Animation Summit.

Breadwinner follows 11-year-old Parvana, who disguises herself as a boy in Taliban-era Afghanistan so that she can provide for her family. Nora Twomey, who co-directed The Secret of Kells and is a partner in Cartoon Saloon, will make her solo feature directorial debut. Author Ellis adapted the book with Anita Doron (The End of Silence).

The family film, which will be co-produced with Toronto, Canada-based Aircraft Pictures, is budgeted at $10 million, with the backing of the Irish Film Board, Telefilm Canada, and private investors from the United States and the Middle East. Non-profits including the Belinda Stronach Foundation and Regina Spirit Fund will also contribute to the budget.

Production on Breadwinner is expected to begin in spring 2015 with a theatrical debut eyed for 2017. StudioCanal, which just released Paddington, will handle the film’s U.K. distribution.

The Kilkenny, Ireland-based Cartoon Saloon received 7 Annie Award nominations today for its latest feature Song of the Sea, which will be released in the United States later this month.

[via IFTN]