Persepolis
Persepolis [2007]
Voice acting by Catherine Deneuve, Chiara Mastroianni, Sean Penn, Gina Rowlands
Direction by Marjane Satrapi & Winshluss, Based off the original graphic novel by Satrapi
Language: French
I find it difficult to comprehend the fact that somebody like me, who is so into foreign film, different styles of filmmaking, and global affairs in general has not known about this production for so long. All I can say is that, after watching the movie, I regret all the years that I have lived ignoring its existence - it is fantastic.
The very fact that this movie was animated meant that the complex themes of the divide between the west and the east, the idea of hidden identity, difficult marriages and strict regimes were reduced to a point where they were intelligible and easy to empathise with, and was yet incredibly compelling and a tad mysterious, which I loved.
On a personal level, this movie resonated with me a lot. I am also from a country that is tending towards a more authoritarian, Islamic form of governance, where outwards shows of non-conservative behaviour is looked down upon, yet I live in a developed country, where the people around me don't seem to understand the background I come from. I know that the events shown in the movie were of a vastly different scale, but it was nice to see that representation: it's often difficult to find stories that are similar to your own as a way of connecting with the audience.
What I found particularly interesting were the varying relationships of people with god and religion. On one hand, you have a god that is friendly and approachable, almost like an elder-brother type figure when Marjane, the main character, is a little girl. Then, this god shapes into something a lot more sinister: it manifests itself in the brutality of the Iranian regime, and becomes synonymous with oppression and a lack of liberty. Without the idea of God, and consequently religion, there cannot be any film about the Iranian revolution, and the idea was portrayed in such a way where God was not an offensive character, or something that would cause a big controversy, but rather a God that is a fluid concept, handled in a tasteful, delicate, and sometimes a vaguely satirical way.
Another favourite theme of mine to look like is the divide between the east and the west. Iran is so often demonised in popular media, and the west is often seen to a goal, an aspirational target for so many when that is often not the case. Obviously, the original novel was written in a way that criticised the west, but the movie amplified that sentiment, which I felt was so useful. Seeing differing perceptions of the west was quite fascinating, actually. There is a point at which this movie can almost be seen in a philosophical sense! How does one create identity? How have Western institutions discriminated against those who are 'foreign'? What does it mean to be 'foreign'? What does it mean to properly 'assimilate' in a place that's not your own? Something as binary as the contrast between the east and the west is something can be presented in a myriad of ways: it is the truly distinctive films that propel something as commonly spoken about to food for massively intellectual thought. And doing all of this in an animated film? All I have to say is bravo.
If you want to challenge your views about Iran, and the human aspect of the country you need to watch this.
