The world of comics and culture is in mourning. This Thursday, June 4, the death of the Franco-Iranian artist was announced. Marjane Satrapiauthor of Persepolisone of the most read graphic novels in history, which tells the story of the Iranian Islamic revolution seen through the eyes of a girl.
The family confirmed the sad news to the French news agency AFP. «She died of sadness just over a year after the death of Mattias Ripa, her husband and the love of her life,» they explained, without giving more details at the moment.
The producer, actor and screenwriter Mattias Ripa died on April 8, 2025. A year later Marjane Satrapi died, at 56 yearswho, in several Instagram posts, reflected the pain caused by the loss: “I lost the love of my life”.
Who was Marjane Satrapi
Marjane Satrapi was an Iranian-French writer, illustrator and filmmaker, born in Rasht, Iran, in 1969. She is known worldwide for her autobiographical graphic novel Persepolis (Persepolis)which was published between 2000 and 2003.
Because of her creative talent, she was considered one of the most important figures in contemporary graphic novels and a leading voice in understanding Iran’s recent history from a personal perspective.
He grew up in a progressive and politically active family in Iran. During her adolescence, she was sent to study in Austria and later settled in France, where she developed much of her artistic career.
Her work stood out for addressing topics such as identity, freedom, exile, memory and women’s rights.
In Persepolis, perhaps his best-known production, Satrapi recounts his childhood and adolescence during the Islamic Revolution of Iran (in 1979) and the war between Iran and Iraq. There it shows how political and religious changes affected the daily lives of people, especially women.
The graphic novel had enormous international success and was adapted to film in 2007 as an animated film co-directed by Satrapi herself. The film received numerous awards and was nominated for an Oscar for best animated film.
«An essential voice»: the farewell to Macron and the world of culture
The president of France, Emmanuel Macronexpressed his «heartfelt condolences» to the family of Marjane Satrapi and paid tribute to «an immense artist who turned an Iranian childhood into a universal fable.»
«Marjane was an extraordinary artist and an endearing woman who embodied the joy of creation and the sadness of exile and painful memories. Today we mourn her,» he reacted. Thierry Frémauxgeneral delegate of the Cannes Festival, in dialogue with AFP.
A staunch opponent of the Tehran authorities, in 2023 she coordinated the book “Woman, life, freedom” («Woman, life, freedom») in which a group of artists illustrated the revolts that occurred in Iran following the murder in 2022 of the young Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after being arrested for wearing her veil incorrectly.
In 2024, Satrapi, also author of «Embroidery» (2003) o «Chicken with plums» (2004), both inspired by his native country, was awarded in Spain with the Princess of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities for being «an essential voice for the defense of human rights and freedom.»
A year later, Satrapi rejected the French Legion of Honor to denounce «France’s hypocritical attitude towards Iran», where strong repression was once again taking place.
