The English-language version of Marjane Satrapi’s 2D black-and-white movie Persepolis will feature the voices of Sean Penn and Iggy Pop, as well as previously announced Gena Rowlands, Catherine Deneuve and Deneuve’s daughter, Chiara Mastroianni. Penn will portray the lead character’s father and Pop will voice her uncle, while Mastroianni will star as the lead (as she did in the French version), according to Daily Variety.
Directed by Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud, Persepolis took home the Grand Jury Prize at the recent Cannes Festival. The film will begin its regular theatrical engagement on December 25 in select cities around the U.S. Sony Pictures Classics (Paprika) handles the American distribution of the film.
Based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Satrapi, Persepolis tells the autobiographical tale of a spirited Iranian girl who has to face the oppressive Islamic revolution in 1979. Attracting its share of political controversy, the French-language film has been a hit in France and Germany since its release in the Euro territores last month. While Iranian officials have been condemning the movie for its portrayal of the Islamic regime, audiences in France have given the film their thumbs-up, generating $3.7 million in ticket sales in only two weeks in limited release.
The movie is animated by French studio 2.4.7 Film and coproduced by The Kennedy/Marshall Company, France 3 Cinema and Sofica Europacorp. Insiders have noted that Persepolis will certainly give the big animated titles from Disney, DreamWorks, Fox and Sony a run for their money during the Oscar season this year.
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