The Breadwinner (2017)

Nora Twomey's solo debut leaves Irish legend behind for Kabul in 2001, under Taliban rule, adapting Deborah Ellis's novel. Parvana disguises herself as a boy so she can earn money and buy food for her family, and the film never softens what that risk means. Its hand-drawn world splits in two: the dusty, restrained city, and the folk tale Parvana tells about a boy facing the Elephant King, animated in vivid cut-out style. The way the two strands answer each other is the film's real achievement. This is the darkest entry here, so preview it before showing younger children; for teenagers and adults it may be the studio's most moving film. It won the Annie for best independent feature and was Oscar-nominated.