Persian Realm

Did Satrapi ever hold a

Did Satrapi ever hold a press conference to admit she goofed during the post-election conference where she trotted out that "official" tabulation of results that showed Mousavi the winner? That was later found to be a forgery. Did she ever admit that she made a mistake? I'm unaware that she ever did. Do you know if she did, Darius? 

Darius Kadivar

Respecting Satrapi  as an artist is one thing. I can even see merits in the works of Makhmalbal and Kiarostami even though I know they are often used as propaganda tools by the regime. Art and the artist  are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

But to like her as a person? Since you live in Parisa nd media is your business, I take it that you may be acquainted with her personally or profesioanlly. Have you actually read her statements: 

//www.chris-kutschera.com/%20A/Marjane%20Satr...

I am not necessarily objecting to her opposition to the Shah, that is her persoal belief but statements Reza Shah was an "illeterate petty officer" and the Shah "being a bastard" are more like a person with an acid tongue rather than a rational and balanced person. Infact her whole tone in this interview was vile.  

This is not the only interview where she has been given where she vents her chapgar oghdeyi  beliefs in a hostile form and in a television interview in the USA (sorry I haven't got the link)  she sought to remind the chat show host and the American audience that the taking of the American hostages in 1979 could be explained because of the background of American exploitation of Iran. Someone should have  actually reminded her that her film was actually produced by Americans and made it the success that it is; not to mention that it is rude to criticize your host and his country.

I wonder, if you have met Ms Satrpai in person , or hypothetically were to ever  meet her, what you reaction would be if she called 'Reza Khan' "a peasant" and his son a "bastard" to your face? 

I agree that it is important to portray historic events from different experiences and viewpoints but how can Satrapi be so arrogant as to draw conclusions that the Shah ordered the Cinema Rex to be burnt? How did she know this as part of her own exprience? Any objective person would realise this is baseless propaganda pretending to be art. 

I am saddened that you feel the need to publicize this woman even more than she  deserves despite any artistic merits which she has. Perhaps it would be better to publicize one of  the thousands of struggling Iranian artists - more talented than Ms Satrapi-in Iran and abroad and are actuallty better embassadors rather than having a chip on the shoulder. 

Simorgh5555 I don't need to share someone's views to admire them

for their personal accomplishments specifically if they are artistically expressed and with talent.

Reading her books or seeing her film did not change my political or historical views for that matter. It merely helped me understand who she was and how her own experiences of the Revolution (which however different from mine, I equally witnessed, since we are of the same generation) shaped her personality and life.

I simply happen to like her both as a person and as an artist.  

That does not mean that I do not have my own critical outlook on how she sees our contemporary history or presents it in her books or film.

However I often suggest to those who criticize her, often vehemently, to simply take a pen or brush and start drawing their own comic book or direct their own film and offer their alternative view of what they deem corresponds to their reality or truth.

What's Stopping them ? If Not Talent ...

Spelling mistake?

Darius without the r.

Daius

I wonder as a supporter of Shahzadeh what your views on Marjaneh Satrapi is here? 

Are you aware that Satrapi called the Shah a "bastard"?; that she claimed the cinema Rex fire was the work of the Shah's security forcesin her book?; that her uncle who was imprisoned was a Azari separatist?

I hope Iranians will shun this woman. 

...

Une femme de grand talent...