Legendary Persepolis Returns to the Big Screen at BLON

Persepolis is a deeply personal, ironic and political coming-of-age story told through the eyes of a young Marjane. Her childhood in Tehran unfolds against the backdrop of the Iranian Revolution, followed by the Iran–Iraq War, growing political repression and increasingly severe restrictions on personal freedom. Sent to Europe as a teenager, Marjane encounters a very different reality – one that offers freedom, but also loneliness, alienation and the challenge of living between two cultures.

While Persepolis deals with revolution, war, repression and migration, at its heart is an intensely human story about family, the search for identity, rebellion, first love, music and the struggle to remain true to yourself in a world that constantly demands conformity.

From Graphic Novel to Big Screen

Persepolis began as Marjane Satrapi’s autobiographical graphic novel, in which she intertwined her own story and that of her family with the political upheavals that transformed Iran in the late 20th century. Satrapi later joined forces with Vincent Paronnaud to adapt the work for the screen.

The film retains the graphic novel’s instantly recognisable minimalist, predominantly black-and-white aesthetic, while animation brings a new sense of movement, rhythm and emotional depth to Satrapi’s visual world.

Persepolis has since become one of the defining examples of how an auteur graphic novel can make the transition to cinema without losing either its distinctive visual identity or the deeply personal voice of its creator.

Svetlana Bezuglova, Head of the Animation Programme at BLON, says Persepolis is one of her favourite animated films and that she is delighted to have the opportunity to bring it back to the big screen.

“This is a film that deserves to be rediscovered – not only for its distinctive visual language, but also for the deeply human story at its heart. It’s important to me that animation at the festival can tackle difficult subjects while remaining vibrant, sensitive and even funny. Persepolis does exactly that. If you still think animation is only for children, I believe this film will change your mind,” says Bezuglova.

In 2007, Persepolis was selected for the main competition at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize. It later received an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature. Nearly two decades on, Persepolis has firmly established itself as a landmark of contemporary animation, demonstrating the medium’s power to tell autobiographical, political and complex stories for adult audiences.

Comics Run Through This Year’s BLON Programme

The inclusion of Persepolis in this year’s BLON programme is no coincidence. Comics are one of the themes running through the festival this year, with the programme exploring their connections to animation, video games, cinema and other forms of contemporary storytelling.

“This year, we want to look at comics not as a world unto themselves, but as a form of storytelling that is constantly intersecting with animation, cinema and other media. Persepolis is an exceptional film and a perfect example of this creative synergy. You can clearly see how a story can move from the pages of a graphic novel into moving images while preserving the creator’s highly distinctive style,” says Bezuglova.

She adds that almost two decades after its release, the film has lost none of its visual power or relevance. That is why the festival team wanted to give audiences the opportunity to experience Persepolis on the big screen again – or, for some, for the very first time.

Persepolis will screen at Arlekinas cinema as part of the BLON Animation and Games Festival, taking place in Klaipėda from 10–13 September.

The festival is funded by Klaipėda City Municipality, the Lithuanian Film Centre and the Lithuanian Council for Culture.