The estimable Animation World Magazine offers an excellent article on Persepolis‘ lack of exposure from Sony. The author doesn’t make any points that a lot of us haven’t been making for years, but it’s great to see more articles like this in popular industry trades/sites. It’s also well written, offering gems such as this:
“On the other hand, audiences are treated (on two screens at most
multiplexes) to the lowest examples of swill dished out by Hollywood.
While Persepolis struggles to be shown in the smallest of art film
houses, National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets is smeared like
celluloid scum across thousands of screens, insulting the intellect
of millions. Oh, this film is good enough if one is willing to
profess ignorance of American history and government, European
history, Native American history, archeology, geology and geography.
This is not to mention ignoring at least three major plot holes that
could envelop Mount Rushmore, but why indeed go on? This misbegotten
mishmash is presently sitting on a box office gross of $187,000,000,
which should be enough to launch a third sequel (possibly subtitled
Yankee Doodle Dimwits).”
And, yeah, I thought the whole point of the Oscars was repackaging
films and boosting ad campaigns? Why doesn’t Sony release
Persepolis in the multiplexes with full-page ads that read “Oscar (TM)
Nominated for Best Animated Feature of the Year”?
Yet I also appreciate the author’s productive optimism:
“In the final reckoning, this column is not about Persepolis alone. My rant concerns countless instances of fine animated films, many of them good enough to contend for and win major awards, going unseen. It is impossible to ascertain who deserves the greater share of blame for this, but let’s put that aspect aside for the moment and consider this instead: It really doesn’t have to be that way. If we want change, we can work for it.”
Working away…