The film 'Persepolis' offers an unprecedented view of Iran

For Boris Senff, the animated film 'Persepolis', presented on Wednesday, May 23rd, at the Cannes Film Festival, respects the work of the comic-strip artist/author Marjane Satrapi, which tells the story of her turbulent childhood in Iran. "The screen adaptation wasn't a safe bet. ... It is the strength of the personal account that gives most force to this story, which navigates between dramatic chronicle and the humour of a young girl seeking to emancipate herself. It is the way she deals with History through the clever use of little anecdotes - we pinch ourselves to see the little girl buy Iron Maiden cassettes on Teheran's black market or don, as well as her veil, a jacket brandishing the words 'Punk's not ded', spelling mistake included. As has also been shown by the impeccable 'Pyongyang', by Delisle, the world of animated drawing allows coverage of dictatorial countries without over-dramatising or caricaturing - risks that traditional films don't always escape - and above all without having to cart about a camera.".

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