Park Forest, IL–(ENEWSPF)– After a hiatus of nearly a year, Tall Grass Arts Association will kick-off its art film series on September 14 with the film Persepolis. The film will be shown at the Marcus Theatre Chicago Heights at 6:30 p.m. Series tickets are $25. They are available at the Tall Grass Arts Association Gallery or in the lobby of the theater prior to the start of the movie. Tickets for each individual film are $7.25. They will be available at the box office on the evening of the screening.
Winner of the Jury Prize at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, the Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and nominated for the Best Animated Feature in the 80th Academy Awards, Persepolis is an animated film based on Marjane Satrapi’s autobiographical novel by the same name.
Marjane, whose voice as a child is that of Gabrielle Lopes and as an adult Chiara Mastroianni, was born in Iran during the reign of the Shah. She grows up during the Iranian Revolution, for which her family has high hopes but which goes terribly wrong when the Islamic fundamentalists take power. Suddenly, women were forbidden to wear makeup, drink or smoke and had to cover their faces. Marjane is a rebellious teenager whose independence is supported by her mother (Catherine Deneuve) and father (Simon Abkarian) and grandmother (Danielle Darrieux). It eventually becomes obvious that Marjane is going to get into trouble with the authorities so her family sends her to live in Vienna. She is lonely and homesick and does not adjust well to the more permissive European culture so, with the permission of her family, she returns to Iran.
Marjane finds that Iranian society is more repressive than ever. There are mass executions for political believes and daily indignities for women. Marjane again expresses her feelings through rebellion. Eventually, the family realizes that Marjane must leave the country again. She makes the heartbreaking decision to leave for France.
Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud directed the film. Languages spoken in the film include French, English, German and Persian with English subtitles.
Following the film, there will be a discussion in the theater. Tony Labriola, GSU Professor, actor and director, will facilitate the discussion.
