coming-of-age stories set against the backdrop of war or a political awakening will always have a place in my heart, and
persepolis is no exception. i’ve loved it ever since my 10th grade english class, when i was first introduced to marjane satrapi’s autobiographical graphic novel. watching the movie now feels like returning to something deeply formative to who i am as a person.
satrapi’s writing is stunning. its clarity and emotional precision as she writes through all stages of her childhood to adulthood is perfect and relatable, i mean how many times have i not flinched over something traumatic only to let a dumb relationship tear my life apart? how many times have i leaned on my own grandma as my moral compass?
"i survived a war but a banal love story almost killed me."the humor in satrapi's writing (
"you'll grab god's balls soon!") never undercuts the weight of what she’s experiencing, it makes the reality of growing up during political turmoil feel even more human. the tension marjane feels - caught between her iranian identity and the expectations of her western peers, between the ideals she was raised with and the realities she comes to question - feels deeply authentic and painfully relatable, even to a girl who grew up in southern california.
against the backdrop of war and identity struggle, marjane is also navigating becoming a woman. her coming-of-age isn’t just ideological: it’s physical, social, and deeply gendered. as her body changes, so do the expectations placed on her, especially within a society that increasingly seeks to control and define women through strict rules and surveillance. everything is political!
the animation style is deceptively simple and incredibly powerful. the stark black-and-white visuals let the story be driven by narrative and character; these characters and this country can be any. when color does appear, it's used to emphasize shifts in memory.
marjane satrapi refuses to flatten her story into something easily palatable. it doesn’t offer neat resolutions or simplified politics, like the handshake at the end of
metropolis. instead, she embraces contradiction: love for one’s country alongside anger toward it, the desire for freedom alongside the fear of losing oneself.
i don’t think many movies can measure up to what
persepolis accomplishes. i haven't even gotten into marjane's grandma: her moral compass and soft place to land. after watching all of this, it made me miss my own grandma and i've spent every weekend with her for the last few weeks.
* i, marjane, future prophet, hereby decide:
first, everyone must behave well.
second, everyone must keep their word.
third, everyone must do good.
fourth, the poor must all eat one roasted chicken every day.
fifth, old women will never suffer again.*
