'Persepolis' Wins BFI Sutherland Trophy

'Persepolis' is the winner of the 2007 BFI Sutherland Trophy with the award going to co-directors Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Parronaud.
The trophy was presented at last night’s closing gala of The Times BFI 51st London Film Festival by actress Natalie Press, who was a member of this year’s jury. It was received by Candy Vincent-Smith from Optimum Releasing on behalf of the wining filmmakers who were unable to be at the presentation. The trophy is awarded for the most original and imaginative debut feature film screened at the Festival.
Persepolis is based on Satrapi’s four-volume series of graphic novels, based largely on her own experience growing up in 1970s and 80s Iran.
Marjane, a rebellious, independent child is brought up by her intelligent, loving parents, with frequent visits from her wise, feisty grandmother. The family is hopeful that the end of the Shah's reign will bring new freedoms and prosperity, but the religious crack down and war with neighbouring Iraq show they couldn't be more wrong.
In awarding the trophy, the Sutherland Jury said of the film: “An astonishing and courageous film which captures a universal story with real style. Irreverent, fresh, witty and also heartbreaking, Persepolis is certainly a deserving winner of this year's award.”
Sandra Hebron, Artistic Director of the Festival said: “Persepolis is one of the best and most distinctive animated films for grown-ups to appear in recent years. The film is enjoyably full of pop culture references, but doesn't shrink from showing the serious consequences of totalitarianism.”
Persepolis has received widespread critical acclaim and shared the Jury Prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
This year’s Sutherland Jury also gave a special mention to Water Lilies, the confident and refreshing first feature from Céline Sciamma.
The BFI Sutherland award is judged each year by an invited jury of people with a knowledge of, and passion for, cinema. Chaired by Sandra Hebron, this year’s jury was: filmmaker Menhaj Huda; actor Natalie Press; Sue Bruce Smith (Film 4); producer Finola Dwyer; artist Martin Creed; film programmer Jason Wood (City Screen); Andy Whittaker (Dogwoof); musician Barry Adamson; and Festival Programmer Michael Hayden.
A showcase of new talent, the BFI Sutherland Trophy was first presented in 1958 on behalf of the BFI by the Duke of Sutherland and has been awarded to world-class directors such as Antonioni, Bertolucci, Fassbinder, Godard and Greenaway.
(SP)