One of the "In" things right now in the movie business is the adaptation of graphic novels for the screen. Most of these big-screen comics have been more toward the action side of the spectrum with films like 300 and The Watchmen. Every now and then a more arthouse project gets off the ground, even if few are even aware that the original form is a graphic novel, such as A History of Violence. There's always a debate surrounding how faithful to the books the adaptations are. Frank Miller has artistically disowned every adaptation ever done of his work. In that sense, Persepolis is rather refreshing.
Artist, writer and director Marjane Satrapi teamed up with Vincent Paronnaud to bring her series of four graphic novels to the screen in 2007. Between 2000 and 2003, Satrapi released the four volumes of the comic Persepolis in France, enjoying critical acclaim for her expressionistic art and frank autobiographical tone. The comics and their corresponding movie follow young Marjane from her childhood in Tehran through her various comings and goings in Europe. The adaptation is essentially direct. The only real changes only serve to tighten up the pacing. No major plot elements or characters are omitted.
Satrapi is unambiguously hostile toward the government and customs of post-revolution Iran. She certainly doesn't defend the Shah or the dubious meddling of Western powers in Iranian society, though. While the young Marjane of the story, who is never older than a 20-something, is deeply conflicted about her pride and disdain for her own heritage, the quiet omniscience of the narrative suggests a significantly more anti-Ayatollah sentiment. For Marjane past and present, Iran is where her family is, but over time she comes to realize that it's her family and not her country that she really loves.
Both the books and the film Persepolis received a critical reception that echoes these troubled feelings. Western critics have universally applauded it, while reviews from the Muslim world have been far more mixed. The film has played in Iran, though it was heavily edited for controversial content. It was also briefly banned in Lebanon, though that ban has since been lifted.
Persepolis was originally dubbed in French, though it received an English dubbing for a portion of its American release. It took home the Jury Prize at Cannes and a smattering of other international film festival awards, though it lost to Pixar's Ratatouille at the Academy Awards.
Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis is a fine animated film, even if the story doesn't go to such great lengths to challenge the audience's perceptions about the culture and history of Iran. It can't help but be a political project, though in the end I think it's more of a personal story than anything. Perhaps we're just too used to watching coming-of-age stories through the lens of our own culture. In her way, Marjane would have been just as much of a rebel and an outcast had she grown up in the West.