Its origins lie in two graphic novels by Marjane Satrapi, who has co-directed the movie version with Vincent Paronnaud.

NEWYORKER: Persepolis

The rat-turns-chef movie beat out "Persepolis, " based on the graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi, and "Surf's Up, " a computer-animated film about penguins.

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And in a few weeks, the animated film Persepolis brings us Iran's Islamic revolution as seen through the eyes of a spunky cutie named Marjane.

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Marjane is an instinctive foe of the system, though her idea of rebellion is to listen to Iron Maiden in her bedroom, and a period spent as a student in Vienna ends in frustration and woe.

NEWYORKER: Persepolis