To say the least, “Persepolis” was an interesting experience. Nominated for an Oscar for best animated feature film, the story centers around a young girl, named Marjane, growing up in Iran. She witnesses the Islamic revolution as a child which at first seemed like a breath of fresh air from the rule of the Shah and a free democratic future seemed likely. But with the election of the conservative Islamic government, little Marjane finds her life drastically change as the strict political repression and restriction on women take charge of their lives.

When the Iraqis invade, the bloody war only fuels the extremist Islamic principles in the Iranian government and after an outburst at her teacher, Marjane’s parents are forced to send her to attend school in Vienna, Austria.

“Persepolis” tells the story of a nation that many Americans are put off by. Iran is one of the members of the cleverly titled “Axis of Evil.” We are so quick to place them in this little circus of gung-ho machismo, but we don’t even know where they are coming from. Literally and metaphorically. Most Americans probably couldn’t even point out Iran in a map.

“Persepolis” gives us a unique and more humanizing view on Iran than the Fox News Channel ever will, though that unique view wasn’t executed as well as it could have been. The animation was a little stale and the movie tended to drag on a little bit.

Although I enjoyed “Persespolis” for the most part, I have a feeling I only did so because of a connection to my family. My own father was living in Iran when the Islamic revolution broke out causing the overthrow of the Shah. He often told me stories about his experiences and the friends he made during his seven years in Iran and it was interesting to see those stories retold from somebody else besides my father. Fortunately, he was able to leave the country before the Iraqis invaded. He doesn’t know what happened to his friends after, but he assumes that they are now several in the million that died in that war.

“Persepolis” is nominated for an Oscar this year but chances are slim that it will get it with stiff competition coming from “Ratatouille” and “Surf’s Up.”