Persepolis

This was, without doubt, the most unusual cinema experience of my life. For the entirety of the film, there wasn't a murmur from the audience. Not a whisper. The rational part of my brain admits that this was probably due to the combined effect of the film starting at 10pm and it being too arthouse for people to merely "go to see", but the more romantic part of me wants to believe that it is because we were all so mesmerized by this fantastic film.

Persepolis is an animated film that tells the autobiographical story of Marjane Satrapi, a girl growing up in pre-revolutionary Iran, and follows her development through her teens to her early twenties against the background of the Iranian Revolution, the reduction of civil liberties and the execution of her uncle. The story is wonderfully told, filled with wonderful moments and heart-breaking tales.

Backing this up, Persepolis looks quite simply stunning. The animation is beautifully composed, with the vast majority in black and white. It is astounding how evocative these two colours can be when used correctly.

This is a wonderful film, filled with tragedy and heartache, but one that couldn't help but leave me with a smile on my face. A+.

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