Review of Persepolis (2007) by Jake R — 04 Jun 2009

Of the seven years the award has existed Pixar have picked up Best Animated Feature in favour of some exceedingly strong competition, and while Woody and Co are deserving in their own right to be recognised for their artistry, sometimes one wishes other works of art were given the same attention.

'Persepolis' is a rather unique addition to Iranian cinema. Traditionally, the fledgling industry is only just turning out recognised films, usually by directors trying as hard as they possibly can to criticise their country's ultra-strict government. Whilst 'Persepolis' certainly has a fiercely independent streak, there's also a distinctly European flavour in style and presentation. Both these characteristics not only mirror the conflicting ideologies of the main character but also serve as literal metaphors for her dual heritage.

Marjane is a fantastic personality: smart, assured, head-strong, loyal, and with her head firmly screwed on, which comes in handy on more occasions than one might think. Her wild life story is captured perfectly in animated form, lending strength to her young view on politics as a silly game adults play, and then coming to the fore to exaggerate her embarrassing adult experiences to hilarious effect. What's so likeable is her imperfections: she's not wholesome, she smokes weed, has mutliple flings, gets annoyed with most people, yet she is never shaken from her love of her family and her home country, and she knows how to take life with a pinch of salt.

It may seem strange to a Western audience how a Christian, socialist, expat family living in a notoriously strict and dagerous country can have such a national pride, which perhaps exposes our own prejudices about such stereotyped countries, but seems no more foolish than feeling proud of one's own country. This is story of what it means to belong, to family, to religion, to political ideas, to national roots, and all throughout nothing is ever set in stone. Because Marjane can adapt and re-evaluate what all these things mean to each other and how they change and evolve constantly she manages to avoid receeding into the primitive ideologies of her family's connections or to be naive enough to expect anything from wherever she goes, outside of personal relationships that is.

'Persepolis' is not a polemic though. Strong statements are made about the pretentiousness of student (i.e. all) politics, the gross misogynistic elements of Iran's religious dictatorship and the fickleness and insensitivity young people can have with each other, but instead of developing these ideas into clear tracts they're just experiences of a single life, and it makes for far more interesting viewing. Looking at the world through Marjane's eyes we see a prejudiced, unjust world full of pointless arguments, arrogance and abuses of power, but, at the end of the day, our own lives are what we make, whether they be ruled by extremist politics or religion, or just deciding for oneself what to make of it all.

These themes sound heavy but only in a more studied context. As the film rolls along it's easy to be swept away in the gorgeously stylish animation, the fast-moving story, the abundance of genuinely funny gags and situations, or the haunting, chilling imagery of war and destruction; this particular type of story telling is of a much higher, more sublime experience, something approaching real cinema.

But 'Persepolis' is also a fun, down-to-earth coming-of-age story, looking at a distinctly modern type of girl, one much wise than her years because of her own thirst to be her own person. There's a lot more to savour here than any Hollywood wish-fulfilment fantasy could ever fabricate, and it's far more rewarding journey.