Thursday, 25 February 2016

2.1 Essay: Persepolis Review

Review Persepolis
Persepolis is an animated film based on the graphic novel Persepolis. It was created by Marjane Satrap, who also created the graphic novel, in the year 2007. It is also a French-Iran-American animated movie. The story is an autobiography following Marjane’s childhood of being in Iran and it goes through her coming of age and realizing the Iranian revolution.



I felt that the film opened up both my mind and eyes about other cultures and countries about how it can affect people’s childhood for the best and the worst. It also shows the real difference between her childhood and my childhood is the place and timing. When I watched this movie for the first time I found it hard to pick up because of how deep it goes about the Iranian revolution but after watching it a second time I got a better understanding. Seeing how this was about a girl coming of age I was interesting in watching it and there were some parts that I can relate to, like the rebelling from the crowd and having fun listening to music. the movie did cause some controversial before it was even released but once you’ve watched it you sooner find out that it’s not controversial at all.


The Main Character Maji is brash and stubborn during most of her animation that is her childhood but when she had to leave her country for a life where she has to be independent she starts to mature, and this can also be shown through her age. Marji is seen to be quite westernised from her fascination of western pop culture such as rock, Karate movies and Nike sneakers. She doesn’t hide her opinions on her corrupt politics and doesn’t let what is happening in her country stop her from what she wants to do and you can see that from Marji’s rebel side.

Another theme throughout this movie is family. Marji sees her grandmother as an idol: strong, independent and beautiful and her parents and relatives are supporters of the revolutions however some of if they are even in prison for threatening to fight back. As this movie is told in a linear format it demonstrates the passage of time communicates perfectly on how the family is influence and helped create Marji’s ideals and actions.


The animation style is animated in a simple design and limited palette and because her story is told in black and white we can see that it uses this as an advantage to show her past and childhood and then they change it to coloured animation to show when she has matured to a point of understanding why she had to leave her home country. The black and white is used to show the theme of her defiance, like when she is told not to purchase western merchandise but she goes to the black market and when she conforms to false ideology of now taught in her school but she calls it in the middle of her lecture in middle school.


As a Conclusion I think this movie is a great movie for young people to see to get a better view of people like them growing up in a country with corrupt politics and shows how young people’s opinions does matter. 

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