Persepolis

2007 • 95 minutes

About this movie

Persepolis is the poignant story of a young girl coming-of-age in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. It is through the eyes of precocious and outspoken nine-year-old Marjane that we see a people's hopes dashed as fundamentalists take power — forcing the veil on women and imprisoning thousands. Clever and fearless, she outsmarts the "social guardians" and discovers punk, ABBA and Iron Maiden. Yet when her uncle is senselessly executed and as bombs fall around Tehran in the Iran/Iraq war the daily fear that permeates life in Iran is palpable. As she gets older, Marjane's boldness causes her parents to worry over her continued safety. And so, at age fourteen, they make the difficult decision to send her to school in Austria. Vulnerable and alone in a strange land, she endures the typical ordeals of a teenager. In addition, Marjane has to combat being equated with the religious fundamentalism and extremism she fled her country to escape. Over time, she gains acceptance, and even experiences love, but after high school she finds herself alone and horribly homesick. Though it means putting on the veil and living in a tyrannical society, Marjane decides to return to Iran to be close to her family. After a difficult period of adjustment, she enters art school and marries, all the while continuing to speak out against the hypocrisy she witnesses. At age 24, she realizes that while she is deeply Iranian, she cannot live in Iran. She then makes the heartbreaking decision to leave her homeland for France, optimistic about her future, shaped indelibly by her past. (Original Title - Persepolis) © 2007 2.4.7. Films SAS and France 3 Cinema SAS. All Rights Reserved.

Ratings and reviews

As a recollection of memories, reading in the comic-strip style of the book has a much better flow to it and adopting this style directly to screen feels a bit odd. But otherwise I love this film!

Well for all that the synopsis tells a bit too much of the story. This is still a film worth watching for the nuance. It's more than just what happens it's about the experience of the protagonist and how she sees and feels everything. A fantastic film.

I've only seen the movie once but read the book twice ether way i love it but youtube killed watching it for people who can't use or own a computer with the link in subscription thing