The film begins in color at an airport, with an adult Marjane—“Marji” (Chiara Mastroianni)—reminiscing about the past. As she reflects back on her childhood, the film transitions to black and white, taking the audience back to the year 1980, when Marji is 10 years old.
As a child growing up during the Islamic Revolution, she is forced to endure life under the tyrannical rule of the Shah. This does nothing to diminish Marji’s spirit, however; even at a young age, she has the dream of becoming a prophet and the desire to demonstrate for the revolution alongside her parents.
With her childish lisp (courtesy of Gabrielle Lopes) and angelic face, it is hard to believe this innocent girl has a rebellious streak, although it is certainly humorous to watch her dress up as Che Guevara and pretend to be a revolutionary.
Apparently, defiance is in Marji’s blood. Many members of her family, including her parents, are actively opposed to the Shah’s rule. Through an elaborate puppet show, Marji’s father (Simon Abkarian) provides viewers with background information on how the Shah came to power, which is when all the trouble started.
The family’s dissent puts them in constant danger of imprisonment. Marji’s mother (Catherine Deneuve) also participates in the revolution, which puts Marji in constant fear of being left without parents.
Satrapi’s political views are conveyed through a number of lines, such as remarks about the West’s greed for oil. “Persepolis” might be viewed as a skewed political agenda film, although considering the fact that Satrapi lived through all these events, it is reasonable that she’d voice her outlook on the situation.
Another important member of Marji’s family is her uncle Anoosh (Francois Jerosme) whom she met after his release from prison. The connection between Marji and her uncle is instant; she views Anoosh as a hero for being imprisoned for nine years. As a bedtime story, Anoosh tells Marji of life as a Communist, so that she would ensure that their family memory would live on. At the end of the night, Anoosh gives Marji the first of two swans made out of bread while he was in prison; these swans symbolize the deep bond between the uncle and niece, which makes it harder when Anoosh is sent back to prison, never to be free again. This is one of the saddest parts of the film, when the realization truly hits that these characters are in fact real people.
As the film continues, Marji proceeds through adolescence, then adulthood. As a teenager, she is sent to Vienna to get away from her war-ravaged country. After witnessing the tragedies of war, a different country is a nice change of scenery. However it is soon apparent that life in Vienna will not be any easier. Marji experiences the ups and downs of being an Iranian in a foreign country, making friends and falling in love. There is a scene after Marji breaks up with her boyfriend in which she enumerates an embellished list of his flaws—a scene that can only be shown effectively through animation.
It is through scenes such as the aforementioned boyfriend-bashing, as well as a particularly hilarious rendition of “Eye of the Tiger,” which make the film enjoyable to watch. Although the story revolves around the war between Iraq and Iran, this conflict is not the purpose of the film. “Persepolis” is an excellent coming-of-age story, geared towards a more mature audience. Satrapi’s cleverly written script will have audiences constantly laughing, especially whenever Marji’s grandmother (Danielle Darrieux) is on screen, although there are many serious moments to counter the laughter with tears. This beautifully animated film is a must-see.