Last night I rented Persepolis, the animated movie (for adults) about a young girl growing up in Iran during the Shah regime then later under the Islamic "republic". This moving autobiographical tale, based on Marjane Santropi's graphic novel, uses both stark and subtle black and white imagery to full effect. It's one of the best animated films I've seen recently, a stunning visual experience coupled with the heartbreaking narrative of Catherine Deneuve.
The commentary explains that, unlike most Disney concoctions, all the animation was hand drawn, the old-fashioned way. The director explains that computer graphics have a crispness and perfection that doesn't reflect the imperfection and flawed nature of human beings the way hand drawn images do. It was surprising to see an old technique being used to tell a story in an innovative manner. This brings to mind the feedback I received at a recent portfolio review. The two projects I presented included female nudes and portraits, both well-worn subjects in any art history discourse. However it was gratifying to hear that I had found a fresh way to interpret the subject and that my personal vision was present and strong.
