The [Toronto International Film Festival](http://www.tiff07.ca/) is well underway. I’ve been going with Kyle and Rin the last few years. I really couldn’t do it without Kyle, who handles all the really annoying administrative stuff, and points out decent films to watch. I tend to just follow his lead.
**[Persepolis](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808417/)** ([trailer](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxu0h8R8iUg)): The festival opened on Thursday and I drove down Thrusday night to see Persepolis, which is based on the autobiographical graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi. My impression of the book was that it was one of those arty, “important” sorts of graphic novels that had somehow managed to find a mainstream audience, so it didn’t strike me as something I really wanted to read. Watching the movie, what I found was a bitter-sweet coming of age story that takes place amidst the tragic recent history of Iran. It was pretty wonderful. I’ll probably be dragging people out to the Princess to see it if it comes out there, and buying the DVD and probably picking up the book too, as apparently the film was very faithful to the source material.
Ms Satrapi was at the screening and received a sincere and warm ovation at the end. I kinda wanted to go over and give her a hug.