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Iranian coming-of-age tale strikingly relatable

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Also by Alex Truong:

Quirky flick deals out laughs (February 22, 2008)
Dance film can't make cut (February 20, 2008)
Iranian coming-of-age tale strikingly relatable (February 7, 2008)
Dub Trio's latest only half dead (February 1, 2008)
Lotus flowers at Majestic performance (October 29, 2007)

by Alex Truong

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Adidas sneakers and Iron Maiden are hardly aspects of pop culture one would automatically associate with the Iranian Islamic Revolution of the late 1980s, but “Persepolis” — the coming-of-age story of a precocious Iranian girl — includes such iconic references to create a very relatable story.

Set in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, “Persepolis” is Sony Picture Classics’ adaptation of the graphic novel of the same name. The animated film follows Marjane Satrapi as she struggles with questions of morality, freedom and alienation — both at home and abroad.

Marjane is an endearing character. From when we first see her as a vivacious young girl who thinks of herself as a prophet at the tender age of 11 to her struggles with adulthood and fitting in, she displays an independent spirit guided by sensible family values. Her great rebellions are not those of cliche adolescent angst, but are actually surprisingly humorous endeavors. It is interesting for us Americans to see a teenage Iranian girl frustrated with an oppressive and morally overzealous government, as well as a culture with a black market comprised of laughable shady men in dark coats on the street offering her “Jichael Mackson” and Bee Gees cassettes.

The animation is visually striking while remaining realistic. The present-day adult Marjane is drawn in color, but her memories as a child and a growing young woman are completely black-and-white. Stories told by relatives are drawn in a different style. A history of the Shah (the Iranian religious leader) is mockingly related through a puppet show. The animation takes a much darker tone when depicting a young protester getting shot during a demonstration, as the eerie, faceless masks of the military stormtroopers involved are only illuminated by the stark white eyes of their gas masks. Against the utter blackness of their military garb, the chilling psychological effect of fear and anxiety is produced. The contrast of positive and negative space allows the viewer to sympathize with the despair of the Iranians’ lack of freedom and political suppression.

This movie helps one appreciate the freedoms that we as Americans enjoy. An especially enjoyable scene places Marjane inside of a foreign grocery store in Austria, so packed full of goods she can’t help but enjoy the experience of shopping for food.

One of the larger themes throughout the film is the stifling religious morality felt by Marjane in her dress, especially the required wearing of a veil every day. Although she witnesses adult relatives in her life disappearing as political prisoners, her grandmother serves as a constant moral compass and guides Marjane, even when she is a grown woman. Even with the Iranian police continually harassing Marjane for what are considered to be her loose morals, and with her failed marriage growing worse, she perseveres.

Throughout the film, the stark color scheme intermixes with horrific and discouraging historical events to form a depressing backdrop to what becomes a surprisingly hopeful film interspersed with lively characters. Marjane’s independence as an adult is often put in jeopardy — sometimes due to heartbreak, cruel peers or the government — but Marjane always seems to pull herself together through shades of gray and undulating black so she can at least survive the war that not only surrounds her, but is within her as well.

4 out of 5 stars

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