Screening Report 8: Iran: Persepolis

1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

The film Persepolis was originally made in France, but was based on the graphic novel of the same name made by Marjane Satrapi who is originally from Iran. The movie was directed by Vincent Paronnaud and Marjane Satrapi, and Persepolis was nominated for best animated feature for the Academy Awards. This nomination made Majane Satrapi the first woman to ever be nominated in this category (IMDB, Persepolis). The film utilizations 2D animation instead of 3D, and uses only black and white color.  

2)  Find a related article and summarize the content.

The New York Times article entitled, “ In a Flat World, a Rebel With a Cause,” reviews the film and discusses the amazing details Persepolis offers. They appreciate the film’s use of 2D animation, especially during an age where 3D animation has taken over the animation industry. The film shows that it wanted to bring drawings to life so it can show a captivating story properly. They also give praise to the Grandma who is the symbol of a feminist rebel and love that she always guides Majane no matter what. The review ends with understanding the somber tone but can still see the adventurous story despite living in a black and white world.

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class.

Persepolis takes a unique twist to animation due to their lack of color. They wanted to bring the graphic novel to life instead of doing any major changes. It doesn’t betray the story by creating another cash cow 3D animation, and remains traditional. Seeing a 2D film has become more rare, but it adds more to the story and allow for humor to come out when it is needed. Also, as the article pointed out it needed to be painted in black and white in order to see how ruthless leaders view the world and cause others to see it the same way.    

4) Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion,  formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article.  I am less interested in whether you liked or disliked a film, (although that can be part of this)  than I am in your understanding of its place in film history or the contributions of the director.

One of my favorite film genres is animation, I adore art style and how it can it tell a story so differently from a live action film. Persepolis is another reason why I love animation. It’s minimalist style adds so much depth into the story. Marjane’s tale is not entirely a happy one, she lived in pre and post Iran and cast herself out from her home. The black and gray style reminds the viewer of this struggle, if the film had been colorful the concept would not have been as clear. The animation itself was also fluid and helped make scenes more comedic.

What makes this film feel more satisfying to watch is knowing that Marjane will grow up to be successful and continue to be a rebel in her deeming society. She tells her story unapologetically and it shows the audience a side of the world they are unfamiliar with. The viewer leaves the film understanding the war and how it affected the people living there. This is her ultimate rebellion because no one silenced her from making the graphic novels or film, and she told it her way.  

References

Scott, A. (2007, December 25). Persepolis - Movies - Review. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/25/movies/25pers.html

Persepolis (2007). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808417/

CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM

1) ( x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2) ( x ) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3) (  x) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4) ( x ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5) (x ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6) ( x) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7) ( x ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.

8) ( x ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.

Name: _________Melanie Flores_____________________________  Date: ________4- 24-17____________________