Iran accuses Persepolis of Islamophobia
Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis shared the jury prize at Cannes this year, causing much consternation among Iranian officials.
The film is based on her autobiographical graphic novel of the same name which offers a satirical take on oppressive life under the theocratic regime after the Iranian revolutoin.
Mehdi Kalhor, the cultural adviser to president Ahmadinehad, says:
Islamophobia in Western drama started in France, and producing and highlighting the anti-Iranian film ‘Persepolis’ in Cannes falls in line with Islamophobia.
(He is probably referring to Voltaire’s Mahomet)
Other officials claim that it is part of a US-led conspiracy to encourage reformist forces in Iran.
Okay, so first of all, he doesn’t have any male ‘parts’ to speak of. That’s the obvious stuff out of the way.
Secondly. I wonder how many gays in Poland are purple, carry handbags, speak two words of their own language and have an ariel on their heads and TVs in their stomachs. If that’s what young children are being turned into in Poland, then I can see why she’s concerned.
I’m gay and I don’t carry a handbag.
Well, only to work but not at weekends.
What can I say, other than I read the first line as “…causing much constapation…”
I rahter think that sums it up.
I’ve seen quite a lot of films criticising Iranian society – thing is, all of them were made by Iranian writers and directors. Maybe if Iran stopped treating its citizens like shit, they wouldn’t have this problem. On second thoughts, that’s not how the world works now – PR and cries of victimhood first, actual effort to solve the problems second.
I work with an Iranian lad and a lot of the shite that goes on there these days isn’t even reported in the West. In the three years I’ve worked with him I’ve managed to make him see what a load of old total bollax religion is, to the point that he is now trying to do the same to other members of his family!