Toronto-based animation studio joins international co-production partners Aircraft Pictures, Ireland's Cartoon Saloon and Luxembourg's Melusine Productions in association with Angelina Jolie Pitt’s Jolie Pas Productions.
TORONTO, ON -- Guru Studio has announced their involvement on the animated feature film The Breadwinner. Based on the award-winning novel by Deborah Ellis, The Breadwinner is an international co-production between Canada's Aircraft Pictures, Ireland's Cartoon Saloon (The Secret of Kells, The Song of the Sea) and Luxembourg's Melusine Productions (Song of the Sea, Ernest & Celestine) in association with Angelina Jolie Pitt’s, Jolie Pas Productions. Guru's President & Creative Director Frank Falcone and EVP Content & Strategy Mary Bredin join as Executive Producers.
"Guru was the clear choice when considering Canadian animation studios to work with," said producer Anthony Leo, of Aircraft Pictures. "They will bring another level of creativity and artistic vision to this picture."
In addition to Guru Studio's production contributions to the film, Guru's Stuart Shankly (Ever After High, Song of the Sea) is working as Assistant Director, alongside Director Nora Twomey, spending several months in Ireland at the start of production.
Established in 2000, Guru's mission is to entertain children around the world with innovative storytelling. Guru specializes in the visual and conceptual development of story and character driven projects using industry-leading digital production techniques to tell traditional and non-traditional stories. The Breadwinner is the studio’s first feature film.
"We are thrilled to be collaborating on this important story to ensure it reaches children and parents around the world," said Guru's Frank Falcone.
“Engaging an audience through the power of storytelling in a full length feature is an exciting challenge and we have an amazing opportunity here to work with such a talented creative team,” added Guru's Mary Bredin.
The Production Art Supervisor on The Breadwinner, Guru's Sanatan Suryavanshi, is currently working closely with Cartoon Saloon’s Sequence Director and Art Directors to develop the look of some of the film’s key sequences.
Due in 2017, The Breadwinner follows the story of 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 unfairly imprisoned. A story of self-empowerment and imagination in the face of oppression, The Breadwinner also celebrates the culture, history and beauty of Afghanistan with a cast that includes many performers of Afghan descent.
Source: Guru Studio
