Product Description
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Persepolis is the poignant story of a young girl coming-of-age
in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. It is through the eyes of
precocious and outspoken nine-year-old Marjane that we see a
people's hopes dashed as fundamentalists take power — forcing the
veil on women and imprisoning thousands. Clever and fearless, she
outsmarts the "social guardians" and discovers punk, ABBA and
Iron Maiden. Yet when her uncle is senselessly executed and as
bombs fall around Tehran in the Iran/Iraq war the daily fear that
permeates life in Iran is palpable. As she gets older, Marjane's
boldness causes her parents to worry over her continued safety.
And so, at age fourteen, they make the difficult decision to send
her to school in Austria. Vulnerable and alone in a strange land,
she endures the typical ordeals of a teenager. In addition,
Marjane has to combat being equated with the religious
fundamentalism and extremism she fled her country to escape. Over
time, she gains acceptance, and even experien
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A fascinating and wholly unexpected take on Irans Islamic
revolution beginning in the 1970s, Persepolis is an enthralling,
animated feature about a spirited young woman who spends her life
trying to deal with the consequences of her nations history.
Based on an autobiographical comic book by Marjane Satrapi, the
story concerns Marji (voiced as a teenager and woman by Chiara
Mastroianni), whose natural fire and precociousness are slowly
dampened by the rise of religious extremists. Marji grieves over
the imprisonment and execution of a beloved uncle, then
begrudgingly adapts to ever-tightening rules about dress, social
mores, education for women, and expectations about marriage and
divorce. Along the way, her grandmother (Danielle Darrieux) and
mother (Catherine Deneuve) help keep Marji grounded during her
rebellious teens and encourage her to find life beyond Irans
borders, a decision that proves both a blessing and curse. An
unique window onto a crucial chapter of 20th century history,
Persepolis is graphically engaging with its black-and-white, bold
lines and feeling of repressed energy, fit to burst. The
emotional content is so strong that after awhile, one almost
forgets the film is a cartoon. Satrapi co-wrote the screenplay
and co-directed the film along with animator Vincent Paronnaud.
--Tom Keogh
Stills from Persepolis (click for larger image)
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Beyond Persepolis
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On Blu-ray ( /gp/product/B0017APPSO/ref=d_ap_Persepolis_1 )
Paperback ( /gp/product/0375714839/ref=d_ap_%20Persepolis_2 )
Soundtrack CD ( /gp/product/B000X9VTD0/ref=d_ap_%20Persepolis_2
)