The first film venture for which comic book artists Vincent Paronnaud and Marjane Satrapi teamed up was Persepolis, an animated coming-of-age story originally depicted by Satrapi as an autobiographical graphic novel. Together Satrapi and Paronnaud brought to life her black and white comic, turning its stark panels into a vivid and visually striking cinematic experience that ultimately won worldwide acclaim, including an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature.
Finally, as follow-up to Persepolis, this imaginative directing duo offers a French-language drama set in Iran called Chicken With Plums. Paronnaud and Satrapi also co-wrote the film, which stars The Diving Bell and the Butterfly's Mathieu Amalric as gifted violinist Nasser-Ali, who decides to die in the wake of the destruction of his prized instrument at the hands of his furious wife. In his final week of life, he looks back on how he came to this place, speaks with the angel of death and looks ahead to his children's futures without him. But will any of this deter him from his suicidal plan?
Check out its trailer—courtesy of Yahoo—below, and get an enchanting peek at Paronnaud and Satrapi's latest stunner.
It's immediately exciting to see what the Persepolis makers would manifest for a live-action film, and from this trailer it seems they won't disappoint. Blending their surreal visual style with a romantic and theatrical tale, Chicken With Plums shows shades of Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Pedro Almodovàr influence, and in short looks to be something majestic and captivating.
Following appearances at such prestigious festivals as Venice International Film Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival and the Tribeca Film Festival, Chicken With Plums will open in New York and Los Angeles August 17th.
