Berkley Center

This film guide fosters an historical understanding of the award-winning animated film Persepolis. The first half of the film, upon which this film guide focuses, is an inside look at the conditions that gave rise to the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the early years of the theocracy, including Iran’s tumultuous relationship with the United States and the calamitous Iran-Iraq war, through the eyes of a young girl named Marjane “Marji” Satrapi and her family. The guide contains a synopsis of the film and information on the historical context of the events the film depicts, as well as a set of key terms, discussion questions, and a list of further readings. This film guide is appropriate for use with the Berkley Center’s Religion and Conflict Case Study Iran: Religious Elements of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.