Marjane Satrapi Dies: Iranian-French ‘Persepolis’ & ‘Radioactive’ Director Was 56

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- Marjane Satrapi died at age 56, a little over a year after her husband Mattias Ripa’s death on April 8, 2025.
- Persepolis (2007 animated film) co‑directed by Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud, won the Jury Prize at Cannes and was nominated for the 2008 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
- Radioactive (2019 biopic) directed by Satrapi starred Rosamund Pike as Marie Curie and was produced by Working Title.
- Satrapi was a lifelong activist against Iran’s Islamic Regime, receiving threats for her work and publicly supporting women’s rights after the 2023 Woman Life Freedom protests.
- Dear Paris was Satrapi’s final film, an ensemble dark comedy featuring Monica Bellucci, Roschdy Zem, Alex Lutz and André Dussollier.
Why it matters: Her passing deprives the global film community and Iranian diaspora of a powerful voice for women's rights, while her body of work continues to inspire future creators.



