Once upon a time there was a girl in Iran and Persepolis is her story.
Based on the autobiography of Marjane Satrapi, this quirky animated movie is about the coming of age of young Iranian girl amidst the volatile political climate of the country in 70s and 80s.
Plot Summary
In 1979, at the start of the Iranian revolution, Marjane was living with her parents in in Tehran. Her grandfather was in prison for being a communist and unsupportive of the Shah regime. Her family supported the underground movement to overthrow the Shah’s rule.
As the Islamic revolution takes place, and Ayatollah Khomeini heads the country’s new government, Marjane’s family takes part in the universal celebration of a better time to come. They are however proved wrong, as the new Islamic Government starts indiscriminate execution of all nationalists and Marxists and imposes stringent rules on the general populace. The fiber of the country weakens and Iraq, its neighbor begins attacks, weakening further the strength of the people.
Persepolis (IMDB.com)
It is in this environment that most of Marjane’s childhood and teenage years are spent. She experiences loss for the very first time when her Uncle Anush is executed by the government. She turns to her grandmother and her faith for the strength to go on.
Review
Along with being a lesson in Iranian history, Persepolis depicts the chaos as soon through the eyes of this young girl. Smuggling into underground parties, buying rock albums in the hiding from the moral police, listening to concocted pro-government history in the classroom–all form the daily life of Marjane. And the constant fear of being executed for having offended the rulers.
While the political commentary is unavoidable and tied closely to Satrapi’s personal life, it is important to remember that it is her story and just one point of view. Satrapi worldview, her notion of feminism and her life in Europe also influence and color her experiences.
However, the primary appeal of the movie lies in the universal themes tied to growing up. First loves and heartbreak, leaving the nest, fitting in to a place and so on. It is about innocence and its loss.
Persepolis deftly meanders between several serious themes with humor and poignancy, tugging at the heartstrings.
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