Sony has announced the release of the Oscar-nominated animated feature Persepolis, on Blu-ray day and date with the DVD in the US. Based on the semi-autobiographical graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis follows the fortunes of a young girl growing up during the Iranian revolution. The film, which is coming to the end of its theatrical run in the UK, received a bundle of praise thanks mostly to its hard-hitting themes, but also for its bold visuals, which emulate the style of Satrapi’s original black-and-white artwork. The French production, co-written and directed by Satrapi, features a suitably Gallic cast, although an English language soundtrack was produced for the theatrical US release, with Chiara Mastroianni and Catherine Deneuve reprising their key roles in the dubbed version.

The Blu-ray will feature the English language version, with audio commentary by directors Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Paronnaud and star Chiara Mastroianni on select scenes, as well as featurettes, ‘Hidden Side Of Persepolis’ and ‘Behind The Scenes of Persepolis’, footage from the 2007 Cannes Film Festival Press Conference (where the film won the Jury Prize) and animated scene comparisons with commentary by Satrapi. Technically, the disc will feature 1080p video, Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround audio and, despite its deceptively simplistic visuals, we think the film’s unique look will be enhanced on Blu-ray, adding to its charm.