Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1653 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-08-18
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Formats: PAL, Subtitled, Colour
• Original language: French
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 92 minutes

Synopsis
PERSEPOLIS presents a deeply personal coming-of-age tale about finding one's place in the world. Based on her bestselling graphic novel, Marjane Satrapi teamed up with underground comic book artist Vincent Paronnaud to co-direct this animated big screen adaptation. The result is an electrifying, heartfelt, and original portrait of a spunky girl who surmounts countless obstacles to grow into a wise young adult.

Marjane (voiced by Chiara Mastroianni) is an innocent nine-year-old living in Iran, surrounded by a loving but incredibly protective mother (Catherine Deneuve) and father (Simon Abkarian). She finds comfort in the carefree spirit of her loving grandmother (Danielle Darrieux), as well as music by artists as diverse as ABBA and Iron Maiden. When Marjane’s uncle is killed in the Iran/Iraq war, her parents send her to school in Austria, where she can study in safety. The only trouble is that her Middle Eastern appearance frightens people, giving her a harsh lesson in racial prejudice. Somehow, Marjane’s fiery spirit doesn’t succumb to any of the negativity. Eventually, she returns home to Iran to be closer with her family. But even though she settles into married life, the tyrannical pressures of Iranian society force her to abandon her country once again, sending her to France on another journey. Satrapi and Paronnaud retain the stark, spare animated style of the graphic novels that inspired the film. This is a wise decision: the less specific they get in their visual presentation, the more universal their story becomes. PERSEPOLIS gives viewers several movies in one. It is equal parts coming-of-age story, history lesson, and an animated adventure tale.

Customer Reviews

This simple and powerful film is highly likely to strike a cord in you...
"Persepolis" (2007), written and directed by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud, is a beautifully made film that recounts an engaging tale, that also happens to be true. It is important to point out that even though this is an animated film, it is definitely not for children. Nonetheless, I firmly believe that this funny and somewhat wistful movie is a rare gem that teenagers and adults will appreciate in its full value.

This film is based on the autobiography of one of its directors, Marjane Satrapi, a young woman that grew up in Iran, and lived there both before and after the Iranian revolution that established an Islamic Fundamentalist government, drastically reducing personal liberties and imposing a completely different lifestyle on its citizens, specially on women.

Marjane's story allows us to see her as a young and enthusiastic child that shares her parents hopes regarding the new regime, and as a rebellious teenager that cannot understand the limitations that affect women in her country, and that is sent abroad by her parents in order to protect her. We suffer with Marjane when she tries to find herself in Austria, and understand her feelings when she decides to return to Iran in order to be with her family.

What happens then? Well, you have to watch this film in order to find out. All the same, I can let you know that I loved "Persepolis", and that I think that this simple and powerful film is highly likely to strike a cord in you. Highly recommended...

Belen Alcat

Easy to criticize, but ...
Some reviewers have criticized Marjane for seemingly complaining that the Iranian regime tried to stop her and her associates from partying. I would not defend partying of this kind, but it is evident that these critical reviewers have not had the experience of living under a tyrannical regime. I would not wish it on anyone. To dissociate oneself from a pervasive and dominant foli à plusieurs is incredibly difficult and many people go insane in the attempt or commit suicide.

In fact this book and DVD is very helpful in understanding how many people inevitably react in a repressive, authoritarian regime when trying to maintain a personal integrity. If you squeeze a balloon in one place, it will splurge out in another - often in an unpalatable way. What amazes me is how dissidents manage to remain sane in authoritarian regimes of this nature. The author, and her family, should be commended for having done so. It also takes courage to produce an account of this sort.

I would unreservedly recommend "Persepolis", both in book form and in DVD format, despite the inevitable unpalatability of some of the content. It may be uncomfortable, but it should function a warning to us as to what could happen in the UK unless we face reality now and stop engaging in denial.

Persepolis - a powerful animated parody
This film came highly recommended by a friend, and although animation doesn't usually attract me I went along. And by God, I'm glad I did. Persepolis is the autobiographical account of the Iranian born Marjane Satrapi; the tale of ordinary growing pains and young adulthood woes set against a politically charged climate in Iran.

Early on Marjane's parents explain to her how the Shah came to power and the political message is apparant yet digestible. Daughter to politically active parents in a divided community she develops strong beliefs and questions those around her; encouraged and inspired by her formidable grandmother among others. The child becomes a teenager with a strong rebellious character and the courage of her convictions - railing against the regime, wearing Iron Maiden t-shirts and questioning the oppression of women.

After trouble at school her family send her to Europe for her own protection. In Vienna she struggles to fit in or to find her place in normal society, carrying with her the guilt of knowing what her friends and family suffer at home. Her experiences of familiar issues such as going away and coming home, relationship with her parents, first love and standing up for what you believe in are magnified by the exterior issues of cultural misogyny, war, a divided community and an oppressive regime.

Marjane's story is told with the brutal truth that animation allows, at times hilariously funny and at others deadly serious - like life itself. Somehow the characters and events feel more real than if they were played by flesh and blood actors, perhaps in the way that reading a book can evoke a more tangible experience than watching a film?

I found much to relate to within the film; Marjane portrays herself as a fallible human being, likeable in her combination of vulnerability and strength. What a fantastic way to bring the story of Iran alive for those of us on the outside - a real insight and an elevating experience. Parody is indeed a powerful tool.

Watch it.