|
Cannes winner says Iran's disapproval boosts film
2007-10-20
Filmmaker Marjane Satrapi said Thursday that Iran's official disapproval of "Persepolis," her black comedy about growing up after the Islamic revolution, was only encouraging more people to see it. "Persepolis," which won the Jury Prize at this year's Cannes festival, is based on her graphic novel of the same name recounting the imposition of Islamic law and the bloody war with Iraq through the eyes of a young girl. Iranian-born Satrapi acknowledged the French production was not going to hit cinemas in Iran, but said people there were watching "Persepolis" on illicit DVDs, some produced by taping the movie overseas on mobile phones. "I certainly don't think the film is going to be coming out on screens in Iran. But like all things that are forbidden in Iran it gives people even more desire to see it," Satrapi said. "Like in my case, I don't like to drink much but in Iran I'm virtually an alcoholic because it's forbidden," she told a press conference in Tokyo to promote the Japanese release of "Persepolis." She said the same process can be seen with Iran's denunciations of "300," a Hollywood film on ancient Greek soldiers battling a Persian Empire portrayed as barbaric. "It's an awful, vulgar film and one week after its release it's in Tehran and even dubbed into Persian," she said. Iran's government was angered that "Persepolis" won the award at Cannes, with an adviser to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad saying the film was "anti-Iranian" and "Islamophobic." Satrapi, however, said that her film has shown a more nuanced reality about Iran to foreign audiences, who often have negative images about the Islamic republic. "The people who suffer first from what's happening in Iran aren't Westerners but Iranians," Satrapi said. "So if by seeing this film people find a little more compassion for Iranians, understand what's going on there and identify with them, then I'd be the first one who's happy." France is submitting "Persepolis," which Satrapi made with Vincent Paronnaud, as its candidate for next year's Oscars.
| 
