Persepolis

After the disappointment of 'Happy Go Lucky', I was nervous of seeing Persepolis. It was another film I had circled in Time Out and I wasn't sure I could cope if it turned out to be dud.

It was fantastic

Based on an autobiographical graphic novel, it tells the story of Marjane Satrapi and her experiences growing up in Tehran.

We first meet Marjane as a precocious 9 year old. A little girl who wants to be a prophet when she grows up, wears sneakers and has a Bruce Lee poster on her bedroom wall. She comes from a loving family with a long history of political resistance. Before the revolution Iran (and Tehran in particular) was secular. The despised Shah is overthrown and, initially, the revolution is welcomed but the euphoria quickly turns into fear as the religious fundamentalists take control. The Iran/Iraq war begins, life becomes tenuous, people are arrested and the outspoken and questioning little girl is in danger. The decision is taken to send Marjane to Vienna where she struggles to fit in and, after a love affair gone wrong, finds herself on the margins of Viennese society - alone and lonely. She returns to Tehran and enrols in university, attends illegal underground parties and eventually marries (much to her mothers chagrin - 'I wanted you to be independent - not married at 21') The marriage is unhappy and Marjane divorces and. realising that she can't stay in Iran, she leaves for Paris.

The film was moving, beautifully drawn, evocative and the characterisation spot on.

My cornetto rating: 8/10 . Must be seen - not necessarily on a big screen (though I find it helps when reading subtitles)