2008 Woodie Awards
Persepolis Rocks the Casbah
Zana Fejzic
Issue date: 3/21/08 Section: Arts & Entertainment
Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis is not only an easy read (it's a comic book!) but its message goes beyond the caricature. The true story of a young girl, Satrapi herself, growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution of 1979 depicts the harsh changes the country had to face in the midst of uniting religion and government as one.
For those like Satrapi who knew their school and government system before the Revolution, it was hard to change nearly a decade of beliefs and morals that the Shah and then later Ayatollah Khomeini were trying to change.
The veil was imposed upon young girls; segregation between the sexes and overwhelming patriotism (for the wrong reasons) were practically forced upon Iranians. Lives were lost for wars fought without reason.
Luckily Satrapi had parents who were very involved in politics and were active in both rallies and protests. They were not as easily swayed by the political nonsense as were others and it was evident in young Satrapi as well. At a young age she was among the few rebellious children in her class and believed that the Revolution was not at all what anyone could have hoped. She backed her claims by the deaths of family members and assassinations of her friends and their families.
Satrapi experienced more as an adolescent than many of us ever will. Faced with the decision to move to Vienna in order to ensure her future and education, she moved thousands of miles away from her family when she was barely a teenager.
There are actually two books, Persepolis and Persepolis 2, and a movie as well. The movie was recently shown at the Enzian Theatre even though it premiered last year.
The movie first appeared in 2007 at the Cannes Film Festival and has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. It has received rave reviews for its magnifi cent depiction of life during the Revolution and how Satrapi's point of view brings to light what you don't read in the news.
The movie is in French; Satrapi learned French in Iran and continued her studies in a French school in Vienna. Satrapi has also appeared in a brief interview for Lila Azam Zanganeh's collaboration of other Iranian artists in My Sister, Guard Your Veil; My Brother Guard Your Eyes.
Another book worth reading depicts the lives of various Iranian artists who struggle with women's rights and the portrayal of what it is like to be a "Persian" and an "Iranian."
But that is a story for another day. As for Persepolis, I highly recommend it for a better, more personal, insight into a country whose government tries to ban and censor all things Western yet has been driven by the West to rule the way it rules today. (It's a fact the U.S. put the Shah in power).
Overall Satrapi does a great job portraying a country rooted in an extremist culture entirely different than any of its neighbors.
For those like Satrapi who knew their school and government system before the Revolution, it was hard to change nearly a decade of beliefs and morals that the Shah and then later Ayatollah Khomeini were trying to change.
The veil was imposed upon young girls; segregation between the sexes and overwhelming patriotism (for the wrong reasons) were practically forced upon Iranians. Lives were lost for wars fought without reason.
Luckily Satrapi had parents who were very involved in politics and were active in both rallies and protests. They were not as easily swayed by the political nonsense as were others and it was evident in young Satrapi as well. At a young age she was among the few rebellious children in her class and believed that the Revolution was not at all what anyone could have hoped. She backed her claims by the deaths of family members and assassinations of her friends and their families.
Satrapi experienced more as an adolescent than many of us ever will. Faced with the decision to move to Vienna in order to ensure her future and education, she moved thousands of miles away from her family when she was barely a teenager.
There are actually two books, Persepolis and Persepolis 2, and a movie as well. The movie was recently shown at the Enzian Theatre even though it premiered last year.
The movie first appeared in 2007 at the Cannes Film Festival and has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. It has received rave reviews for its magnifi cent depiction of life during the Revolution and how Satrapi's point of view brings to light what you don't read in the news.
The movie is in French; Satrapi learned French in Iran and continued her studies in a French school in Vienna. Satrapi has also appeared in a brief interview for Lila Azam Zanganeh's collaboration of other Iranian artists in My Sister, Guard Your Veil; My Brother Guard Your Eyes.
Another book worth reading depicts the lives of various Iranian artists who struggle with women's rights and the portrayal of what it is like to be a "Persian" and an "Iranian."
But that is a story for another day. As for Persepolis, I highly recommend it for a better, more personal, insight into a country whose government tries to ban and censor all things Western yet has been driven by the West to rule the way it rules today. (It's a fact the U.S. put the Shah in power).
Overall Satrapi does a great job portraying a country rooted in an extremist culture entirely different than any of its neighbors.
Be the first to comment on this story