Marjane Satrapi, French‑Iranian author of Persepolis, dies at 56

Marjane Satrapi, the Franco‑Iranian cartoonist best known for her graphic memoir *Persepolis*, died at age 56, her family announced. Her death was linked to profound grief following the death of her husband, Mattias Ripa, a year earlier.

Satrapi, who fled Iran in 1994 and became a French citizen in 2006, gained international acclaim with *Persepolis* (2002), which won two César awards and the Cannes Jury Prize in 2007. She was celebrated for exposing the repression of the Iranian regime and for pioneering a powerful black‑and‑white graphic style. In a 2020 interview she said, "Ma mort sera aussi absurde et insignifiante que celle d’un microbe ou d’un ver de terre," reflecting her bleak outlook on mortality.

Beyond her artistic legacy, Satrapi was an outspoken critic of Iran’s human‑rights record, declined the Legion of Honour in 2024, and urged greater support for Iranian dissidents. Her passing has prompted tributes worldwide, emphasizing her role as a cultural icon and advocate for freedom.