Hola all. Massawyrm here.
I've been sitting on this review for a while now. And it's not because the film didn't interest me, excite me or even entertain me. It was that at the point that I saw this I knew that not only did very few people out there even know what I was talking about, but that even fewer would care. I wanted to write about this once people could get an idea of what this is. Because what this is defies most notions people hold about this kind of film. Persepolis is an animated film. Persepolis is touching coming of age story. Persepolis is a history lesson and an open window into a culture that has not only been in the news lately, but has been so without much context.
Does the title Persepolis got you down? Well, it could just as very well be titled Why It Sucks to Have Girl Parts in the Middle East or possibly even 10 Things I Hate About You, Iran. Which is what makes it so damned hard to explain. It's an animated movie that is sweet, touching, funny, beautiful to look at – everything an animated film should be – but the material is so heavy, so dark, such a downer that it almost feels contrary. It's like a Ralph Bakshi film without the feeling that it would be much better on hallucinogens. This thing has social relevance coming out of its hoo-haw, and delivers its messages and lessons in a lyrical, almost melodic way.
The simplest of people could walk into this movie knowing (nor caring) a lick about Iran and its people and walk out with a pretty hefty knowledge of its recent past. The story is about Marjane, a little girl born into a country full of strife, who grows up trying to grasp what is going on in the world around her. Every period of her life brings with it a new regime or movement in her country that she has to deal with in her own limited, youthful understanding. In this manner, we the audience have the entirety of the recent history as well as its significance explained to us in the most uncomplicated of possible terms. As if to a child. Elegantly simple, the exposition seems effortless as you lay awash in a beautifully poignant story presented with evocative animation that is both classic and unique at the same time.
That said, this film has a number of obstacles to overcome. First and foremost as sweet and adorable as this is at times, it is H-E-A-V-Y with a capital HE. This ain't the feel good movie of the year. Marjane? Her life fucking sucks. Anyone who has ever joked about the French penchant for making films about the shitty lives of children can include this film in their arsenal. It definitely has this whole 400 Blows thing going on and while it was no doubt inspired by Truffaut, it manages to feel like something all its own, on par and not simply derivative of his work. Which leads to problem number two. In order to describe it properly you really need to invoke Truffaut and French New Wave – meaning you've just lost about 98% of the viewing public. Hell, I probably just lost half the readers of this article by mentioning him by name alone. Oh shit, they mutter to themselves It's one of those. And then the fear sets in and that word slips out betwixt their lips. Pretentious.
Except that it's not. And that's why I love this film so much. Everything about it screams that it will only be viewed by espresso sipping college students who seem more focused upon annunciating properly than actually communicating and aging New York hipsters too tired for REVOLUCION, but still wanting to be cutting edge. And yet it really is an extraordinary film ready to touch those not turned off by the seeming inaccessibility of it. I mean, come on, it's a black and white subtitled animated film about a little girl growing up in the Middle East. This thing has a lot of hurdles to jump just to get audiences to see it. But I tell you now that it doesn't play to type within what the description belies.
Sadly this thing got something of a mixed reception at Fantastic Fest. But what can you expect? When you have an audience walking in with their fingers crossed that they're about to see something exciting, bloody and altogether ass kicking and instead you treat them to something beautiful, profound and altogether somber, you're going to get that kind of response. And while I definitely think this thing is deserving of the Best Animated nomination (and easily a Best Foreign nod), I don't share the same confidence that Herr Knowles does about this thing definitely winning. I just don't share his faith in the Academy.
This thing is the very definition of art. It touched me, educated me and fascinated me all at once. It took the fundamentals of the human condition and wove them into a tapestry unlike any I'd seen before. Everything about this appears to be very For Your Consideration without actually feeling like that when you watch it. This comes Highly Recommended to anyone willing to watch a foreign film in which no one wields a gun or is out to avenge their master, and comes with the Highest of possible recommendation to anyone who wants to argue the genius of Truffaut after what I said in the fourth paragraph. This thing will make you piss espresso for a week. It really is something incredible and very special.
Until next time friends, smoke ‘em if ya got ‘em.
Massawyrm
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