Canadian indie producer Aircraft Pictures and Irish partner Cartoon Saloon have pacted to adapt the Deborah Ellis young adult novel The Breadwinner as an animated film.

The Ireland-Canada coproduction about a young girl living under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan will be directed by Nora Towmey, co-director of the Oscar nominated The Secret of Kells.

The Breadwinner is one of a series of three books by Ellis based on the character of Parvana; according to the books’ publisher, House of Anansi and Groundwood Books, the trilogy has sold over 2 million copies worldwide.

Ellis penned the book-to-screen script with Anita Doron.

The Breadwinner will start production later this year.

The film received development coin from Telefilm Canada, the Irish Film Board, The Belinda Stronach Foundation and Movie Central.