Review of Persepolis (2007) by Margot N — 08 Mar 2011

A black and white French cartoon about the political history of Iran? Sounds terrible when you put it that way, but in reality Persepolis is a charming, educational, and often amusing animation, that I believe to be one of the best animated features of the past decade.

Juxtaposing the childhood of a bright-eyed young girl against the turbulent backdrop of the Iranian revolution, Persepolis tells the true story of Marjane Satrapi as she uncovers her family's rich history and struggles to love a country that is tearing itself apart. We witness her arguments with God, attempts to challenge the strict Islamic regime, and follow as she spends her teenage years in Europe before returning to her war-torn home as a young adult.

Initially the most notable aspect of Persepolis is its unique look. The simplistic, black and white animation is bold and well executed, and completely in keeping with the charismatic art of Satrapi's original graphic novels. However what really resonates about this movie is its beautifully woven narrative. Though continually interspersed with amusing cutaways, the story never loses its footing, and carries the viewer on a journey over several years without ever dipping or losing steam. This is partly down to the fascinating nature of Satrapi's life, which is filled with events and anecdotes that range from highly amusing to utterly horrifying. Of course, with the story's political and religious nature, some have labeled the film as propaganda. The Iranian government even complained to the Cannes Film Festival where the film was awarded the coveted Jury Prize, and only allowed a heavily edited version of the movie to be shown on limited release in Iran.

For me however this film has a very personal importance. Being half-Iranian myself, I have always taken an interest in the country's rich history, and despite never having been there, my interest in that part of my heritage has never been stronger. My English mother has often regaled stories of when she visited Iran on holiday after marrying my Iranian father in the late seventies, and falling in love with its beauty and culture. However when she returned there to live for two years in the early eighties, she couldn't believe how much it had changed in such a short time because of the revolution and impending war with Iraq. For her Persepolis showed a realistic portrayal of Tehran during the time, from the tough talking Guards of the Revolution to the empty shelves in the supermarket.

However this is not a film that requires an invested interest in Iran or its politics. I have introduced number of friends to Persepolis and each has enjoyed it, and found ways that it can be related to their own lives. The bottom line is that this is a film about a young girl growing up in a world where she never quite feels she belongs, on top of that she has all the usual problems that come with adolescence including first love and the awkward teenage years; things we can all relate to. For this reason Persepolis is a film that continues to be enjoyed by a much wider audience than one would initially expect for a film of this type. I honestly couldn't recommend it more.