The Academy Award–nominated film Persepolis
is back, this time in English!
Well, it’s not actually back yet, but it will be in a few weeks. On April 11, an English-language version of Marjane Satrapi‘s Persepolis will hit the big screen. So, if you missed it the first time because you don’t like subtitles, you have no excuse not to see it this time around. (Of course, if you missed it the first time around because you were just too lazy or busy and you would rather have seen it in French with subtitles, you’re out of luck. But you still get to see it, so, really, you’re still better off.)
I’m not a big fan of dubbed movies, but this seems like it will work. First, given that it’s animated, the voices won’t be out of sync with the actors lips — which is really the worst thing about dubbing.
Second, some of the original cast recorded the English version as well as the French. Catherine Deneuve is the mother in both versions, and her real-life daughter, Chiara Mastroianni, is the adolescent and adult version of Marjane in both versions. So you still get to hear the loveliness that is Catherine Deneuve, even if you missed the original.
The rest of the major roles, however, have been recast for the English soundtrack. Gena Rowlands will take over the role of the grandmother, formerly voiced by Danielle Darrieux.
Sean Penn provides the voice for Marjane’s father. And I must say that I’m having a tough time wrapping my head around this one. I guess it’s the image of Sean Penn and Catherine Deneuve as husband and wife. Finally, Iggy Pop will play Uncle Anouche, Marjane’s political prisoner uncle who was very influential in her life.
It took me forever to see the original Persepolis, but I finally did and I loved it. Loved it! So I’m probably going to see this one, too. And I think if you plan to see only one English-language version of an animated French movie about Iran’s Islamic Revolution this year, this should be the one!
If you need to be reminded of how compelling this movie is, check out a slideshow of Persepolis images here, or the French trailer here.
