Persepolis

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While Andy takes a look at what's happening over on Japan's shores, something a little closer to home has grabbed my attention.  It's called Persepolis and it's worth your attention too.

It's a french animation based on the autobiographical graphic novel of Marjane Satrapi.  The story starts off following the life of Marjane growing up in Iran during the revolution as she struggles to understand the events that are unfolding around her.  This film is about so many things that it's hard to imagine the content being squeezed into 90 minutes of often quite surreal animation, and still remaining coherent.  In some ways, it's far from coherent but I think that's probably the point. 

At it's core, Persepolis is a coming of age story.  On one level it's a personal story about Marjane and the circumstances of her life, while on another, it's a story about all Iranian marginalised women whos sacrifice is all too apparent.  Marjane's experience is one of loss, love and bewilderment, both in her relationships with others and of her national identity and although the animation is stylised, the story is every bit as real as you would expect.  Some of the historical context and politics might sweep over you a little (as it did me) if you're not familiar with Iranian history but despite the occasional furrowed brow, there is so much here to get your head into that it seldom matters.

The film is mostly animated in high contrast black and white during the periods that Marjane is recounting her past, and briefly flicks back into colour for present day.  The thing that's so striking about the style though is how everything is stripped back; there’s very little detail in anything, which as a result brings your attention to what's going on in the story.  Occasionally the animation switches into some quite surreal, stylised settings, particularly for some of the films more poignant moments.  The lack of dialog in certain sections only serves to add to its weird charm.

Persepolis is a distressing, charming, gritty and funny portrayal of a girl coming to terms with how real life can pull and distort your once innocent view of the world while not giving you any answers.  You can invest as much or as little intellectual grey matter as you like with varying degrees of reward but whichever way you feel, do yourself a favour and give this 90 minutes of your life.