The entire film is pretty similar to The Breadwinner overall. They both have heavy themes of government oppression, particularly towards women, and both feature stories where a woman is the center focus. I liked this a lot as it showcased the harsh reality that many women face in oppressive countries like Iran.

One specific scene that immediately reminded me of the breadwinner was when Marjane’s mother stood up against a man insulting her on the street. He told her to put her scarf down more and she responded by addressing him angrily and demanding respect. He called her names but she and Marjane got in their car and left before things got worse, which was a display of power both the women had before the oppression in Iran got too bad. To me this seemed extremely similar to the kind of power the women had in The Breadwinner when Parwana’s father was present. He, being the head of the household, acted as a sort of cover if the family got into hot water. Until being sent to prison, the family was content with this setup and, as this was all they could do, they had to cope with the reality that they needed a man to do certain things for them.

Both settings oppress women by making them cover their bodies or it’s considered a “sin”.

I think both movies can tell us a lot about how people can survive under such smothering government rule. Sometimes if it’s all you know you think it’s normal, and you come to another country and realize it’s not and you have to try to fit in with people you don’t know. I also just overall think it’s a great way to learn about these sorts of things through complex storytelling and really compelling character. I found both to be very interesting and I definitely feel like there are a lot of nuances I may have missed by only watching them one time through.