Marjane Satrapi: It’s Her Reason for Being

On Monday, January 13, 2025, Marjane Satrapi, a Franco-Iranian author, illustrator, and director, made public her decision to refuse the Legion of Honor, highlighting what she perceives as hypocrisy from France towards Iran. A short video posted on her Instagram account explained the reasons for this gesture, both personal and political. In Satrapi’s view, it is impossible to be satisfied with symbols when actions do not follow, especially at a time when repression is intensifying in Iran.

A frank critique of French public action

In her two-and-a-half-minute message, Marjane Satrapi laments the dissonance between official statements of support for Iranian women and dissidents and, at the same time, the granting of visas to children of oligarchs or wealthy officials. In her eyes, migration policy remains restrictive towards those trying to flee repression in Iran, particularly activists and independent artists. A paradox she finds all the more striking given that France historically positions itself as a land of asylum and freedoms.

Marjane Satrapi explains in a video her decision to refuse the Legion of Honor

In a letter addressed to the Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, Satrapi emphasizes her deep attachment to France while expressing her solidarity with Iranian youth. She also recalls the situation of French hostages held in Iran, prisoners of difficult diplomatic negotiations. For her, recent official statements lack concrete impact, which led her to this refusal of decoration. "Actions are more important than words," she concludes.

A gesture that echoes the history of the Legion of Honor

Created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, the Legion of Honor remains the highest French honorary distinction. Throughout its history, it has been awarded to leading figures as well as more controversial ones, repeatedly sparking debates around the notion of "merit." Great scientists, illustrious artists, and heads of state have been decorated, as well as individuals whose integrity and the scope of their work raise questions.

Several intellectuals, writers, or philosophers have already declined this distinction, citing their freedom of conscience or disagreement with the political choices of the French state. By making this gesture, Marjane Satrapi joins a tradition where the refusal of the Legion of Honor becomes, for some, an act of coherence between personal convictions and the reality of public policies.

Marjane Satrapi's powerful work is a compelling exploration of identity, exile, and the quest for freedom. Through her comics, films, and autobiographical narratives, she transcends cultural boundaries to offer an intimate and universal vision of human struggles
Marjane Satrapi’s powerful work is a compelling exploration of identity, exile, and the quest for freedom. Through her comics, films, and autobiographical narratives, she transcends cultural boundaries to offer an intimate and universal vision of human struggles

Marjane Satrapi, an artist at the crossroads of worlds

Born in 1969 in Tehran, Marjane Satrapi experienced the upheavals of the Islamic revolution from an early age. Her arrival in France in 1994 marked a decisive step: it was in Paris that she began writing Persepolis (2000-2003), an autobiographical comic that propelled her onto the international scene. Through this narrative, she candidly describes censorship, religious pressure, and the harsh reality of daily life in Iran, while sketching the discovery of a new freedom in the West.

Buy the complete Persepolis now

Besides Persepolis, adapted to the screen in 2007 and awarded the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, Satrapi has established herself as a director with works such as Chicken with Plums (2011) or The Voices (2014), collaborating with renowned actors in Hollywood. Her style is characterized by a clever mix of dark humor, visual poetry, and narrative depth. Committed to a universal vision of human rights, she oscillates between the lightness of the line and the gravity of her subjects, a witness to a journey between two cultures.

Iran, France, and the question of coherence

Satrapi’s position highlights the complexity of the perspective that part of the Iranian diaspora has on French foreign policy. Since the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022, Iran has been the scene of intense protests led by women of all generations, supported by a youth tired of religious conservatism. France, like many Western countries, has regularly condemned the repression and multiplied statements of principle.

However, the granting of some visas and the refusal of others, economic interests linked to Iranian nuclear or oil sectors, as well as negotiations to free French nationals imprisoned in Iran, create a climate of diplomatic ambiguity. Marjane Satrapi, through her refusal, invites a rethinking of France’s place in this equation: to settle for speeches or to truly commit to supporting those who suffer in the shadow of repression.

Beyond a simple refusal: a demand for alignment

This gesture by Marjane Satrapi goes beyond a mere stance. It questions France’s fidelity to its proclaimed values — liberty, equality, fraternity — and highlights the contradictions that can arise in the concrete implementation of these ideals. While culture, literature, and cinema have long been fields of expression for critical thought, the question arises of how far artistic engagement can prompt political leaders to act.

By choosing to decline the Legion of Honor, Satrapi reminds us that honor, precisely, is conjugated with a certain vision of human dignity and justice. In a context of violent repression in Iran, she emphasizes that artistic recognition should not overshadow the realities experienced by the women and dissidents that France claims to support.

Marjane Satrapi at the Cannes Festival, celebrating the adaptation of Persepolis, a vibrant testimony of exile and freedom
Marjane Satrapi at the Cannes Festival, celebrating the adaptation of Persepolis, a vibrant testimony of exile and freedom

A look towards the future

Marjane Satrapi, who obtained French nationality in 2006, does not in any way deny her attachment to France. On the contrary, her declaration seems all the more meaningful. She asserts her love for France for its tradition of hospitality and freedom of expression, while calling for strengthened coherence between words and actions. Her career as an author and filmmaker, crowned by international success, places her as a spokesperson for part of the Iranian diaspora, eager to see a foreign policy that lives up to the ideals defended.

This stance reminds us that dignity, whether individual or collective, is built over time. For Marjane Satrapi, freedom is not just a concept; it is a commitment, a coherence at every moment. In her view, it is precisely one of the roles of the artist to question reality and challenge any form of complacency. Her refusal of the Legion of Honor remains a strong act, whose echo resonates far beyond the Parisian salons. The invitation to reflection is launched: in terms of defending human rights, can we settle for symbolic gestures when concrete actions do not follow?

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