Persepolis

In Iran Persepolis is Takht-e-Jamshid. Persepolis in Greek translates as 'Persian City', a typical name invented by foreigners.

Marjane Satrapi's autobiographical graphic novel by that name is to be discussed at our next film club meet. I guess she knows most of her audience will relate better to the bland foreign name, although I know it to be the name of a major Tehran thoroughfare.

Iran, a wonderful ancient country, cursed and blessed with oil. 150 years ago the oil will have meant very little to the world. The cultural norms may also have been very similar to those represented in this story.  The message I hear is one of stifling repression.  There is a lack of real creative joy. The viewer is left wondering at how parents can leave there child in the care of a heartless relative at such a young age.  Was it not bound to fail?  A family who are clearly well off; they can provide school fees for a French school in Vienna, have a daughter who goes on to live rough on the streets.
I am reminded of a young Iranian I met in Leicester who talked though his asylum claim with me.  He had no physical injuries to show, no police interigations, he just said "I was suffocating, I couldn't breathe, I was dying."