Persepolis
Persepolis is a coming of age story, of Marjan Satrapi, an Iranian woman who had to leave her country because of the war and politics/culture change that occurred after the fall of the Shah regime. From what I understood, the story is from Satrapi's own experiences and point of view. As a child, she went through a revolution, war, losing loved ones because of dictatorship veiled by religion and well, losing freedom in one's own country because of your own people.
This movie itself was based from the comic books, also made by Satrapi, which one of them I've read a year ago or so. The transition from comic book to animated screen was good, they didn't force the narration of the movie to be exactly like the comic book, hence it told the story well. At first, when I read the comic, I didn't really like the style of the comic, but after reading a few pages, I got caught up in the storytelling and warmed up to the art.
The movie is not told in a depressing way, it's mostly comical actually. There's this segment where Satrapi comes out of her depression to the song Eye of the Tiger being sung a bit out of tune, and I thought that was hilarious. The way she depicted herself as not fitting in her own country and Austria, where her parents sent her to be 'free', is very humorous. Not all of it is comedy though, seeing how the background of the story is a revolution where people are being killed, there were moments of sadness when family members were executed by the Iranian government, or neighbours were killed in bombings.
I really like the movie, and hope it gets the exposure it deserves. I think, internationally, it is gaining audience, although I doubt it will do well in America. I watched the Cannes Q&A, and an American journalist asked whether the movie is a political statement on the tension between America and Iran right now. Er, I'm sorry but, why do I get the impression that the American press makes it seem that everything happening in the world revolves around America? The movie itself is made in France, with French as the original dialogue, and dubbed in English for people who doesn't want to read subtitles. If Satrapi wanted to make a political statement, I doubt that she'd aim her French movie to the American audience.
Oh well, I'm rambling, but on an end note, I enjoyed this movie very much, and hope that my own country will not turn into present Iran. My parents were there for a year, and though they say that they live well there, and the economy is good and everything, but there's also this tension and fear of saying the 'wrong' things, or wearing the 'wrong' things. I'm all for religion as a spiritual guide to life, but when it is used for a tool to control people, well, it loses its meaning and it becomes a mere tool.
That reminds me, Happy Eidul Fitri, everyone! I didn't go to any relatives since everyone is out of town this year, and I'm still recovering from this tropical virus that's been going around. I did go to PIM however to eat, and took advantage of their Lebaran sale. My brother and I went crazy over comicbooks at Kinokuniya. I hope they have the sale again come christmas ^^.
This movie itself was based from the comic books, also made by Satrapi, which one of them I've read a year ago or so. The transition from comic book to animated screen was good, they didn't force the narration of the movie to be exactly like the comic book, hence it told the story well. At first, when I read the comic, I didn't really like the style of the comic, but after reading a few pages, I got caught up in the storytelling and warmed up to the art.
The movie is not told in a depressing way, it's mostly comical actually. There's this segment where Satrapi comes out of her depression to the song Eye of the Tiger being sung a bit out of tune, and I thought that was hilarious. The way she depicted herself as not fitting in her own country and Austria, where her parents sent her to be 'free', is very humorous. Not all of it is comedy though, seeing how the background of the story is a revolution where people are being killed, there were moments of sadness when family members were executed by the Iranian government, or neighbours were killed in bombings.
I really like the movie, and hope it gets the exposure it deserves. I think, internationally, it is gaining audience, although I doubt it will do well in America. I watched the Cannes Q&A, and an American journalist asked whether the movie is a political statement on the tension between America and Iran right now. Er, I'm sorry but, why do I get the impression that the American press makes it seem that everything happening in the world revolves around America? The movie itself is made in France, with French as the original dialogue, and dubbed in English for people who doesn't want to read subtitles. If Satrapi wanted to make a political statement, I doubt that she'd aim her French movie to the American audience.
Oh well, I'm rambling, but on an end note, I enjoyed this movie very much, and hope that my own country will not turn into present Iran. My parents were there for a year, and though they say that they live well there, and the economy is good and everything, but there's also this tension and fear of saying the 'wrong' things, or wearing the 'wrong' things. I'm all for religion as a spiritual guide to life, but when it is used for a tool to control people, well, it loses its meaning and it becomes a mere tool.
That reminds me, Happy Eidul Fitri, everyone! I didn't go to any relatives since everyone is out of town this year, and I'm still recovering from this tropical virus that's been going around. I did go to PIM however to eat, and took advantage of their Lebaran sale. My brother and I went crazy over comicbooks at Kinokuniya. I hope they have the sale again come christmas ^^.