Just because you live in a war-torn country ruled by repressive fundamentalists doesn't mean you can't listen to Iron Maiden.
Simple yet provocative animation coupled with expressive poignancy culminates in "Persepolis," an animated film inspired by the autobiographic graphic novel that chronicles the life of a young Iranian girl, Marjane Satrapi, during and after the Iranian Revolution and eventual Islamic rule of the late 1970s and 1980s.
The film beings in Tehran, Iran, as the Iranian people revolt against the Shah's dictatorship in the late 1970s. Young and rambunctious Marjane grows up watching and listening to her parents and their friends yearn for change. Fascination with the rebellion and admiration of her parents and one of their Communist friends cause Marjane to ardently support the downfall of the Iranian government. But as the Iranian dictatorship crumbles, the Islamic revolution and Iran-Iraq war result in Islamic fundamentalists gaining control of the country.
In the ensuing years, Marjane's outspoken nature causes her parents to fear for her safety; they send her to school in Austria where she tries to fit in, but eventually returns home where she continues to feel out of place. She fights, as her grandmother instructs her, to stay true to herself in a world that attempts to fetter her to ideals against which she struggles.
The injection of humor and emotion into the dark subject matter creates a balance that results in an outstanding and thought-provoking coming of age story. Marjane boldly confronts wartime with hope and zealous rebellion.
The most inspiring aspect of the film is Marjane's refusal to allow repressive government and ideology deny her at least some of the experiences of childhood; her "Punk isn't Ded" jacket expresses this defiance as she rocks out to the likes of Iron Maiden. Her refusal to swallow what she learns from her Islamic fundamentalist professors while she draws incriminating likenesses of them and trades ABBA for Bee Gees albums under desks will make viewers simultaneously chuckle and cheer for her. And she pinpoints teenage angst in one phrase: it's a "time of constantly renewed ugliness."
The crux of the film is Marjane's relationship with her feisty yet insightful grandmother. Always there to offer encouragement and sound advice, her grandmother embodies the image of gritty resilience that buoys Marjane's spirits throughout the film. For example, when Marjane sadly regards her floundering marriage as a failure, her grandmother instructs her that the first marriage is only practice for a better one, as she expertly takes a hit from her pipe. Plus, she wears pearls under the headdress the government requires her to wear and commends Marjane for "having guts."
The black and white animation, based on the style of the original graphic novel, greatly contributes to the film's success. The images capture the emotions of the characters and succeed in placing the audience in the middle of war-torn Iran. The surprising visual depth completely immerses the audience by making viewers feel as though they are watching a play.
The most striking image that recurs throughout the film is that of Marjane's bright, wide eyes with which she takes in everything with curiosity.
The film, which is the recipient of several awards and was nominated for an Oscar for best animated film, gracefully confronts the issues present during turbulent times through the eyes of a energetic heroine.