Persepolis
Wow! What a satisfying film. Great soundtrack; animation with occasional intricate layers, amazing use of negative/positive space constantly, at times simplistic, then lush and detailed at moments that point to a Persian pride. I was unfamiliar with the graphic novel but was completely drawn into the tale: Marjane Satrapi’s story, and a first hand account of the history of Iran over the end of the 20th century. A testimonial of The Individual against varying forces of ideology, repression, unsatisfying relationships, depression, and the rest. No bullshit Hollywood ending either. See a trailer at the main site which is a bit small, or a larger version on IMBD after sitting through an inane commercial - you know, American style… I urge everyone to see this film.
We have unfortunately not seen the movie yet, but both allisonaut and I have read the book, which is awesome. I’m looking forward to seeing the film. And it turns out that there’s an Iranian woman in my class this quarter whose parents escaped from Iran with her after the revolution. Weird coincidence.
My high school buddy Nadar is Persian. His father was a mucky muck at a power plant back during the Shah days, and when his mother got cancer, the family had been allowed to leave to seek treatment. Briefly in Europe, they ended up in ATL for Emory’s services. I also knew his bro Hassan and dad Ali, before he died. It was esp. interesting to me during all of the hoopla of the 80’s, Ayatollah Khomeini and such, pre-Iraq focus, and/or when we were still backing our boy Saddam in that conflict, ah America, you fickle puppet master…
Anyway, Chamblee GA in the 80’s: you can imagine some of the shitty comments an awkward Iranian teenager might have to endure. (I should also mention Chamblee was WAY more WASPy/redneck in those days, before the immigrant haven it has become, thankfully). But growing up here, he was all baseball and pot smoking, love for Rush and other classic rock bands. He taught me the two Persian phrases I know to this day, and like a little circus monkey, love to drop whenever appreciative ears are present-