Oscar-nominated Marjane Satrapi, best known for Persepolis film, dies aged 56

PARIS: Marjane Satrapi, the Iranian-French author, illustrator, and filmmaker best known for Persepolis, has died at the age of 56, the Elysee Palace in Paris confirmed on Thursday.

Satrapi rose to international fame with her graphic memoir Persepolis, first published in 2000, which depicts her childhood in Tehran during and after the 1979 Iranian Revolution and her later life in exile in Europe. The book was adapted into an Oscar-nominated animated film, which she co-directed.

The Elysee described her as a leading cultural figure whose work carried a universal message of freedom and identity. French President Emmanuel Macron also paid tribute, praising her ability to transform a personal story into a powerful and widely relatable work of art.

AFP reported that a close associate linked her death to profound grief following the passing of her husband, Mattias Ripa, a year earlier.

Satrapi was widely recognised not only for her artistic work but also for her outspoken criticism of Iran’s government and her focus on themes of exile, resistance, and personal freedom.