A heartfelt tribute to Marjane Satrapi, acclaimed French-Iranian graphic novelist, filmmaker, and human rights advocate, best known for Persepolis.
Today, I am publishing this article in this magazine as a tribute to one of the most well-known children’s writers, Marjane Satrapi. Now, you might wonder why I am calling this a tribute? If you already know what’s going on, then you can understand what I’m about to say. Well, it’s sad to know that Ms. Satrapi is no longer with us in this world.
With her passing on 4 June 2026 in Paris at the age of 56, we lost one of our best internationally acclaimed French-Iranian graphic novelists, illustrators, filmmakers, and human rights activists.
Born on 22 November 1969, Ms. Satrapi was the writer of the well-known book Persepolis (2000–2003). Among her other masterpieces are Embroideries (2005), Chicken with Plums (2004), Woman, Life, Freedom (2024), and many more.
Her most famous book, Persepolis, is a landmark black-and-white memoir. It tracks her childhood in Tehran, the restrictive aftermath of the revolution, the Iran-Iraq War, and also her subsequent exile to Europe.
Besides Persepolis, Chicken with Plums is also quite popular. It is a poignant graphic novel that tells the story of her great uncle, a passionate musician who loses his will to live after his favorite instrument is destroyed.
Besides books and novels, Ms. Satrapi has also contributed to films. Some of her notable films include:
Persepolis (2007): Ms. Satrapi co-directed the animated film adaptation. The film won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. This made Ms. Satrapi the first woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
The Voices (2014) is a dark comedy-thriller starring Ryan Reynolds.
Radioactive (2019) is a biographical drama. It chronicles the life and scientific discoveries of Marie Curie, starring Rosamund Pike.
Her film adaptation of Persepolis even earned an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature. This made her a symbol of civic engagement led by women.
Not only that, but she was even elected as a member of the prestigious French Academy of Fine Arts in 2024.
She also received the high-profile Princess of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities in 2024 for her defense of human rights.
In the end, I would like to pay my respects to this remarkable individual.
Although she is no longer with us, I hope that her work and legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.
