CINEMA: Persepolis

This highly stylised black and white/colour animation is based on the graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi and is basically the story of her life. As a young girl growing up in Iran during the reign of the Shah, Marjane flourishes in a home atmosphere of cultivated liberalism encouraged by her highly educated parents and outspoken grandmother. But after the Islamic revolution her free spirited personality is in danger of being broken by the religious crackdown. With personal liberties at stake, Marjane is sent to study in Austria, but this move is not a success and so she returns to Iran to live under the veil.

Although historically and socially the film is very informative about Iran, overall Marjane’s story is not as affecting as it should be. This is mainly because she is given opportunities and freedoms by her loving family many young women growing up in Iran at the same time would have jumped at, and yet she doesn’t seem to appreciate how lucky she is and proceeds to waste them. Watching how the Iranian people learn to outwit the modesty or liquor police will make you applaud their ingenuity and also make you realise how many of our everyday liberties we take for granted. Dee Pilgrim