Jennifer Lawrence and Malala Yousafzai have united to produce a documentary titled Bread and Roses, now streaming on Apple TV+. The film focuses on the lives of women in Afghanistan following the Taliban's retaking of the country in 2021. Directed by Afghan filmmaker Sahra Mani, the documentary highlights the struggles and resilience of Afghan women under the new regime.
Lawrence, 34, and Yousafzai, 27, handed the camera to Mani, who documented the experiences of women she knew in Afghanistan after the US military's withdrawal in August 2021. The abrupt exit led to the immediate collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban's re-establishment of a regime that severely restricts women's rights.
Yousafzai, who survived a Taliban attack for her advocacy of women's education at the age of 15, emphasised the importance of global solidarity with Afghan women. She told PEOPLE, "Jennifer's role is so important because we need to share solidarity with Afghan women, globally. And it's a message that women all around the world are standing united with Afghan women and girls in their fight against the Taliban's oppression."
The documentary features the stories of three women: Zahra, a dentist pressured to close her practice by the Taliban; Taranom, an activist hiding near the Afghan-Pakistani border; and Sharifa, a former government employee confined to her home.
