Monday, October 6, 2008

Persepolis the movie

I read Persepolis graphic novel about 2 years ago and really love it. Its an autobiographical of Marjane Satrapi. It is a heartbreaking true story of a childhood coinciding with regime change and war in Iran. The film begins in an airport where MarJan remembers her life as a 10 year old girl in 1979. The general uprising against the Shah of Iran begins and her family hopes for a more just society. Unfortunately, they are disappointed when Islamic Fundamentalists win the elections and force their society into a repressive state. The family find some comfort in attending secret parties which is outlawed. As she grows up, Marji refuses to stay out of trouble by comforming to the ways of the law and religion. Fearing her arrest for her outspokenness, Marji's parents send her to a school in Vienna, Austria. Unfortunately, Marji feels isolated and ashamed of being Iranian. When her passionate love affair ended traumatically with her bf cheating on her, Marji falls into a deep depression that drives her into homelessness. She nearly died of bronchitis but was rescued off the streets. Eventually, Marji returns to Iran at the end of the war with hope of better life. However, once again petty religious absurdities makes it intolerable for her. As her marriage to a local boy falls apart, the family decides that Marji must leave the country again and this time permanently.

1 sketch(es):

Greg Wee said...

Hi, glad to see you back on the blog. I bought this DVD about a month ago but have yet to watch it. :)