PERSEPOLIS

Persepolis is an animation based on Marjane Satrapi’s autobiographical graphic novels. An Iranian exile now living in France, she grew up during the last years of the Shah’s reign, and saw her country changed utterly by the Islamic Revolution and Iran-Iraq war. The magic of her film is that it personalises these otherwise remote events by showing them through the eyes of a precocious and impressionable young girl. By inviting the viewer into her family’s world, she shows how so many people have been affected by the actions of a few. In her words, “I believe that an entire nation should not be judged by the wrongdoings of a few extremists.” The characters are wonderful ‘ especially grandmother ‘ and the black & white animation is charming. Recommended. (Lachlan Jobbins)