PERSEPOLIS

Year: 2007
USA: Sony Pictures Classics
UK: Optimum Releasing
Cast (voices of): Chiara Mastroianni, Catherine Deneuve, Danielle Darrieux, Simon Abkarian, Gabrielle Lopes Benites, Gabrielle Lopes, François Jerosme, Arie Elmaleh, Mathias Mlekuz, Jean-François Gallotte, Stephane Foenkinos, Tilly Mandelbrot
Directors: Vincent Paronnaud, Marjane Satrapi
Countries: France / USA
Language: French (English subtitles)
UK: 95 mins
UK Certificate: 12A contains moderate violence, drugs and one use of strong language
USA Release Date: 25 December 2007 (Limited Release)
UK Release Date: 25 April 2008

UK Distributor

Synopsis

PERSEPOLIS is the film debut from artist and graphic novelist Marjane Satrapi. Based on Satrapi's four graphic novels, PERSEPOLIS is an autobiographical tale of a young girl coming-of-age in Iran during the Islamic Revolution and then in exile in Vienna.

A poignant yet warmly funny story, it is through the eyes of precocious and outspoken 9 year-old Marjane that we see a people's hopes dashed as fundamentalists take power - forcing the veil on women and imprisoning thousands. Clever and fearless, she outsmarts the "social guardians" and discovers punk, ABBA and Iron Maiden. Yet when her uncle is senselessly executed and as bombs fall around Tehran in the Iran/Iraq war, the daily fear that permeates life in Iran is palpable.

The film features the voices of Chiara Mastroianni, Catherine Deneuve and Danielle Darrieux. Other films nominated for Best Animated Feature are Ratatouille and Surf's Up. PERSEPOLIS was awarded the Jury prize at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.