Persepolis Review
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Transcript of Persepolis Review
Persepolis; An Endearing Eye-Opener
Persepolis is a film by Mariane
Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud. It
follows the life of a little girl named
Marji, growing up in Iran during the 70’s
and 80’s when Saddam came to power.
This film won the Jury Prize at the
Cannes Film Festival in 2007 and was an
Academy Award Nominee for Best
Animated Feature. Marji is a child who
is full of life and wonder. She is
fascinated by the Islamic Revolution. At
one humorous, but poignant, scene in the
movie she puts a bandana on and
marches around the living room
screaming “Down with the Shah!” Marji,
when the fundamentalists come to
power, seems to be more interested in
Iron Maiden and the fact that “Punk’s
Not Dead!” She consistently breaks the
regime’s rules but always manages a
way out of it. Her Uncle, who is killed
during one of the purges, seems to be the
main influence in her life. She is a bright
girl; full of compassion and Persepolis is
focused on her coming of age.
Persepolis, the word itself means
the ancient ceremonial capital of Persia.
Naming the movie and book this may be
the creators way of reaching back into
time when things weren’t so complicated
or bloody. Many times during the film,
there is a reference to blood soaking the
plains of Iran; sustaining them instead of
rain. This was during the purges of the
fundamentalist regime and it was
Saddam’s rhetoric. Many issues are
brought to light in Persepolis, like how
Tehran was before and during the
Islamic Revolution and then following
fundamentalist take over. I highly
suggest you attempt to watch this movie
in BluRay or High Definition, this really
adds to the superb graphics. The fact that
it is a “cartoon” should throw no one off.
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It is based on a graphic novel of the
same name, which it really holds true to.
The film is especially pertinent to today,
in a world where many people don’t
know or understand the history of Iran.
With the capture of Saddam and
subsequent hanging, this film sheds light
on his tyranny and the destruction he
caused. However, the film reminds us
that not all Iranians participated in that
tyranny. In fact, they were victims of it.
The humor is a great relief to
much of the extremely dark subject
matter, matter that is displayed in a very
nonchalant way. Marji’s character steals
the show, with her humor, innocence,
and life-experiences. We see the world
through her eyes. The film, at times, is
incredibly adult but keeps the innocence
of Marji in the forefront. It is a reminder
that children can be incredible teachers
for adults and everyone must remember
to keep their eyes open to all
possibilities, even in the worst situations.
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