Persepolis is the poignant story of a young girl coming-of-age in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. It is through the eyes of precocious and outspoken nine-year-old Marjane that we see a people’s hopes dashed as fundamentalists take power — forcing the veil on women and imprisoning thousands. Clever and fearless, she outsmarts the “social guardians” and discovers punk, ABBA and Iron Maiden. Yet when her uncle is senselessly executed and as bombs fall around Tehran in the Iran/Iraq war the daily fear that permeates life in Iran is palpable. As she gets older, Marjane’s boldness causes her parents to worry over her continued safety. And so, at age fourteen, they make the difficult decision to send her to school in Austria. Vulnerable and alone in a strange land, she endures the typical ordeals of a teenager. In addition, Marjane has to combat being equated with the religious fundamentalism and extremism she fled her country to escape. Over time, she gains acceptance, and even experiences love, but after high school she finds herself alone and horribly homesick. Though it means putting on the veil and living in a tyrannical society, Marjane decides to return to Iran to be close to her family. After a difficult period of adjustment, she enters art school and marries, all the while continuing to speak out against the hypocrisy she witnesses. At age 24, she realizes that while she is deeply Iranian, she cannot live in Iran. She then makes the heartbreaking decision to leave her homeland for France, optimistic about her future, shaped indelibly by her past.A fascinating and wholly unexpected take on Iran’s Islamic revolution beginning in the 1970s, Persepolis is an enthralling, animated feature about a spirited young woman who spends her life trying to deal with the consequences of her nation’s history. Based on an autobiographical comic book by Marjane Satrapi, the story concerns Marji (voiced as a teenager and woman by Chiara Mastroianni), whose natural fire and precociousness are slowly dampened by the rise of religious extremists. Marji grieves over the imprisonment and execution of a beloved uncle, then begrudgingly adapts to ever-tightening rules about dress, social mores, education for women, and expectations about marriage and divorce. Along the way, her grandmother (Danielle Darrieux) and mother (Catherine Deneuve) help keep Marji grounded during her rebellious teens and encourage her to find life beyond Iran’s borders, a decision that proves both a blessing and curse. An unique window onto a crucial chapter of 20th century history, Persepolis is graphically engaging with its black-and-white, bold lines and feeling of repressed energy, fit to burst. The emotional content is so strong that after awhile, one almost forgets the film is a cartoon. Satrapi co-wrote the screenplay and co-directed the film along with animator Vincent Paronnaud. –Tom Keogh
Stills from Persepolis (click for larger image)
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Beyond Persepolis
 On Blu-ray |
 Paperback |
 Soundtrack CD |
Buy “Persepolis” For Only $17.51
Related Blogs
- Related Blogs on Persepolis
- Persepolis and Priorities « New at LacusCurtius & Livius
March 24, 2010
#1
Persepolis (Vincent Peronnaud and Marjane Satrapi, 2007)
I’m not sure why I expected the film version of Persepolis to be different than the book–which I enjoyed but wasn’t nearly as impressed with as everyone else seems to have been–but I did. As it turns out, it wasn’t different at all, save for making certain parts of the book stand out in even starker contrast to their surrounding scenes (such as the embarrassingly awful “Eye of the Tiger” sequence, which I can’t believe anyone involved with the movie wasn’t horrified enough to excise before this thing ever made it to a theater).
I’m the first to admit that my antipathy towards both book and movie stems from my dislike of memoirs, which tend to be the work of uninteresting people who have led uninteresting lives trying to cash in on the more interesting things that happened around them. Persepolis is no different in this regard (and Satrapi has since gone on two author more books, all of which are, unsurprisingly, either memoir or biography). If you’re one of the millions who currently goes gaga over memoirs, you’re probably going to love this. I don’t like memoirs, and had the expected reaction. Half a star dropped for that painful “Eye of the Tiger” thing. * ½
March 24, 2010
#2
Marjane Satrapi has indeed lived an interesting life. Growing up in Iran and seeing a country and culture transform from the days of the Shah to all the turmoil that ensued in a revolution left her, her family, and her country devastingly reeling to find some semblance of a livable life. Persepolis, graphically animates, Satrapi’s comic book graphic novel of the same name and does it to great effect both with the story and with the art form. Though I’ve rated it 3-stars, don’t think it is a movie you should pass on. Persepolis is what your friends will be talking about around the dinner table, at the local Starbucks, at Church, at your 4th of July bar-b-que. Though the flick didn’t live up to the high expectations I had for it, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take the opportunity to immerse yourself in all things Persian to try to get a better understanding of a part of the world that has the single-most potential to be the next international conflict flash point. Get to know Iran because it will be on center stage for years to come.
The highlight of Persepolis is the animation. Though the physical depiction of the characters are somewhat one-dimensional, the animator Vincent Paronnaud uses light and color and unique shapes to enhance their emotions and the events of their lives. There is one scene in which two older burkha wearing religious ladies acccost her on the streets for listening to punk music. The shape of the ladies in their burkhas are almost amorphous, snake-like and the power of intimidation leaps out so much more than what it would have been if real actors played the characters. Time and time again the animator uses the contrast of light and darkness to highlight a scene. Many times there are the scene fade-outs where a white figure is left to the end burning itself in one’s retina providing a subtle yet effective dramatic effect.
I think of other adult animations and ones that really caught on and caught my attention did some different things either with the story or with the animation. “Heavy Metal Heavy Metal: Music From The Motion Picture,” reached out to teens in the early 80′s and then found a second life on the midnight movie circuit. Though I was drawn in by the killer soundtrack featuring Sammy Hagar, Blue Oyster Cult, Devo and Sabbath; the movie tied in animation, music and story into a specifically teen targeted flick that stuck. Or Richard Linkletter’s “Waking Life Waking Life,” that came out in 2003 has something so unique and creative about it that its take on philosophy stays with you years after you’ve watched it. Though I enjoyed Persepolis and there has been much Oscar buzz surrounding it, I can’t say it’s a flick cut of the same ilk.
Just for the fact alone that the Western world should be studying up on all things Persian, all things Iranian, is a compelling reason to run out to Amazon and grab the latest copy of “Persepolis.” Satrapi’s coming of age in a changing and seething culture is a story that stands out in these modern times. But more so the window into Persia and how it has transformed itself in the last 40 years, is the real draw here. …mmw
March 24, 2010
#3
I had read several reviews of this film before I saw it, and had come to expect something both cutting edge and offering a unique insight into the Iranian situation.
Instead I found a rather flat-footed retelling of the Iranian revolution where the height of the insight was that ‘evil’ regimes oppress women and don’t let people have parties.
Nothing in this film tells us anything we don’t already know, and instead of getting a sense that the Ayatollah genuinely infringed civil liberties or repressed free speech, he came across as a nasty party pooper who won’t let our heroine have a social life.
She comes across just a tiny bit brattish rather than a genuine rebel and her outspokenness appears to be limited to one speech in a lecture theatre and some faux rebellions.
Although the animation is striking, it still doesn’t feel very original, and the whole thing comes across like a graphic novel (which I believe it is), but more in the sense that it’s a story simplified for 13 year-olds and is more concerned with making sure it doesn’t alienate them than actually provoking thought or educating them.
Maybe I expected too much of, but it was just so-what for me. Disappointing.
March 24, 2010
#4
There was all the rage about this animated movie that finally made me watch it. I am not a great fan of animated films, so it takes a lot of convincing for me to see one. To me this story really is about coming of age, differences between middle east and western world and a girl stuck in between becoming the unwilling participant of the events around her. Marjane is curious, smart and overbearing while her immediate and extended family take a great effort to raise her right so she can be a decent human being. Her background story is about political uprising in Iran is really a story about social polarization betweeen left (communists) and right (fundamentalists). Very similar to 1930s in Europe when Nazis were getting advantage in Europe. Our main character’s protective parents send her to Austria in order to protect her from the unstable political situation, but shelter away from one country never really is a shelter against emotional ravage a young girl becomes a part of while away from her parents. It is interesting story with the political history backgorund to it; it touches on the importance of family and values family instills in us that become part of our own moral values we live by every day. Touching, but not memorable. In French, so be ready for the subtitles.
March 24, 2010
#5
Perspolis was a very fun and entertaining movie.They tackled a sensitive subject without making it too dreary.I would recommend this movie for adults and teens only.