Film Reviews

Persepolis

• Rating:
• Director: Vincent Paronnoud, Marjane Satrapi.
• Starring: (Voices Of) Chiara Mastroianni, Catherine Deneuve, Simon Abkarian, Danielle Darrieux.
• Details: France / USA / 95mins (12A).

Adapted from Marjane Satrapi's graphic novel, Persepolis follows the life and times of Marjane (Mastroianni) as she witnesses first hand the fall of the Shah in Iran, the rise of Islamic fundamentalism thereafter and the tyranny that followed. Growing up in a liberal home, Marjane's outspoken comments against the Ayatollah land her in hot water in school and she is sent to Austria by her parents for fear of punishment. Film is a visual medium - a show, don't tell attitude is paramount - and that goes double for animation where style takes precedence over everything. It's strange, then, to see that the entire plot of Persepolis is played out through dialogue - you can close your eyes and not miss a beat. The style in question is a very stark black & white approach, lifted almost shot-for-shot off the pages of Satrapi's graphic novel. Although politics affects all concerned and plays a massive part in what direction Marjane's life takes, this is a very personal story. Seen through the eyes of an innocent child, the brutal reality of the Shah's and Ayatollah's regimes and the war with Iraq are kept at bay for the most part. Politics and ideology are, thankfully, presented as 'An Idiot's Guide To...' which keeps the audience clued in every step of the way.

Review by Gavin Burke