Stubborn spirit

Yet some dare to see the bitter humor in it. The social upheaval of Iran in the 1970s and '80s is seen through the eyes of a precocious girl in Persepolis, a black-and-white animated film that earned its place in the coveted Competition program of this year's Festival de Cannes. Adapted from a graphic novel by Iranian-French Marjane Satrapi, this autobiographical movie, directed by the author herself along with Vincent Paronnaud, will surely court sour gripes from the Iranian government, though Persepolis, despite its political nature, will hardly contribute any fresh dimension to the ongoing tension between the Ahmadinejad administration and the White House.

"Persepolis" has aroused much curiosity since it was picked into the top section of Cannes, which is dominated by revered auteurs this year. This 2D cartoon, drawn by a French animation studio that chose to use a simple, sometimes whimsical drawing to narrate serious, at times disturbing stories, may not be a strong contender to win the Palme d'Or, but the film will surely receive much publicity due to its nature and origin.

''When the Persepolis graphic novels were first published [in France, in 2000], they had an immediate success and I got several offers to adapt them - I even got offered one to make a Beverly Hills 90210-style TV show and a movie starring Jennifer Lopez!'', said Satrapi. ''To be honest, I thought my work was finished when I completed the graphic novels, but when I started talking with my co-director Vincent about the film project I realized I not only had the opportunity to work with him, but also to experience something completely new.''

The movie begins with Satrapi as a child during the 1978 revolution, and follows her for 16 years as she grows up witnessing her relatives jailed and killed on charges of being Communists. Forced to cover herself, the young Satrapi reacts by embracing rock music and imported pop-culture, dodging the bearded Thought Police who roam Teheran's alleys catching unveiled women. She is later sent to study in Vienna, where she begins her uneasy assimilation into the Western mindset, before returning to Iran and later leaving for Paris.

Mixing textbook exposition with pungent satire and childlike humor, Persepolis attempts to tell a national history through a family history. It gives us a casual sketch of a place where the people negotiate their way through the cracks in the system to sustain their need for happiness and freedom. The elastic black-and-white drawings render a stylized realism that accentuates the grotesque figures of the oppressors as well as the stubborn spirit of Satrapi and her parents. It's rather clear, however, that although Satrapi resents the unfairness and rigid control of Iran, she's torn between the longing for her homeland and the more practical choice of remaining in the West.

''The film is not judgmental'', said the director. ''It doesn't say this is right and this is wrong. It just shows that the situation has many layers. This isn't a politically oriented film with a message to sell. It is first and foremost a film about my love for my family.''

''But if Western audiences end up considering Iranians as human beings just like the rest of us, and not just as abstract notions like Islamic fundamentalists or part of the Axis of Evil, then I'd feel like I've done something.''

It's unlikely that "Persepolis" will get a release in Thailand. The best chance is that one of the many film festivals in Bangkok will be interested in screening it.

heaved filled with; had a lot of mobs large groups of people that are often violent or not organized dare to be brave enough to do something that might be dangerous bitter humor a kind of humor that relies on experiences that caused deep pain or anger upheaval a very big change that causes difficulty or confusion precocious children who have the confidence or skill of an adult coveted wanted something very much, especially something that someone else has adapted changed a book or play so that it could be made into a film or television program autobiographical a book written by someone about their own life court court controversy/danger/disaster, etc., to behave in a way that risks bad results sour gripes angry feelings aroused made someone have a particular feeling or reaction revered respected and admired someone very much

auteurs filmmakers whose individual style and complete control over all elements of production give a film its personal and unique stamp whimsical unusual in a way that is slightly funny narrate to tell the story in a book, film, play, etc. disturbing unpleasant in a way that makes people feel anxious or upset contender someone who competes with other people to try to win something witnessing seeing something happen, especially an accident or crime embracing accepting new ideas, beliefs, methods, etc., in an enthusiastic way dodging moving quickly to avoid someone or something roam to move around a place without any purpose unveiled removed the thin piece of material that covers a woman's face mindset a person's way of thinking and their opinions assimilation to take in, fit into, or become similar to something new exposition the way something is presented

pungent describes a very strong smell or taste, sometimes one that is unpleasantly strong satire a way of criticizing people or ideas in a humorous way, or a piece of writing or play which uses this style negotiate to manage to travel along a difficult route sustain to keep alive elastic (drawings) drawings that are stretched out and a little bit out of the ordinary render to cause something or someone to be in a particular state or condition accentuates emphasizes something so that people notice it grotesque strange and unpleasant, especially in a ridiculous or slightly frightening way stubborn determined not to change your ideas, plans, etc., although other people want you to resents feels angry and upset about a situation or about something that someone has done abstract relating to ideas and not real things