Each year at TIFF, there are a handful of films that are
destined for greatness. Be it the source material, the director or the star, a
few choice pieces are blessed with the rare alchemy that truly melds art and
entertainment. For those of us who have read the Persepolis
series of graphic novels by Marjane Satrapi,
the North American premiere of her animated adaptation of these powerful
stories held just such promise.
Crowds lined up around the block for the opening night screening and despite a
strange corporate sponsorship-related bit of crowd control wankery, the buzz in
the auditorium of the classy Elgin Winter Garden Theatre was heady indeed. I
couldn't help but speculate what Satrapi would look like; her self-portrait in
the Persepolis
books was decidedly appealing! When she took the stage with her co-director
and best friend, Vincent Paronnaud, I was delighted to
find her resplendent, the flesh and blood incarnation of this smart, sexy
genius who had told the story of her life in such a delightful, self effacing
turn. Her Franco-Iranian accent was quite cute as well; suffice it to say she
is at the top of this fan boy's "dreamy" list.
The film itself was a masterful and frame perfect repackaging of Satrapi's
tale. Her bold black and white style was beautifully brought to life, with
highly intricate cityscapes animating around the Marjane character and her
family (her hilarious yet wise grandmother remains one of the story's most
compelling characters). Pop cultural references familiar to anyone under 50 are
interwoven throughout the clip, with music ranging from Eye of the Tiger to
Iron Maiden helping to infuse Marjane's voyage from Tehran
to Vienna and
back with a palpable vibrancy. Considering that period of time traversed in
the film, from the fall of the Shah of Iran in the late '70's, the horrors of
the Iran - Iraq war of the 80's and the cultural nightmare
(especially for women) that was the rise of the fundamentalist government in Iran.
Like any great autobiographical story, Satrapi's is deeply personal while
reflecting the world around her through the 20/20 vision of hindsight. Persepolis won a
special jury prize at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival; its story is universal
enough to be enjoyed by all, but the education provided on the realities of
modern day Iran
should provide antidote for anyone who has ever had trouble seeing past the
shroud of a veil.
Post festival, Persepolis will be
released in North America on Christmas, 2007.