Frau, Leben, Freiheit

by Marjane Satrapi

Mahsa Jina Amini va néixer l’any 2000 a Saqqez, a la província del Kurdistan, al nord de l’Iran. En el transcurs d’un viatge a Teheran amb el seu germà per visitar uns familiars, va ser detinguda per la policia de la moral per no dur «bé» el vel. Mahsa Amini va rebre cops al cap amb tanta força que va entrar en coma i tres dies després va morir a l’hospital. Era 16 de setembre del 2022 i la seva mort va ser el tret d’inici d’una onada de protestes arreu del país que ha esdevingut una revolució feminista sense precedents.

Aquest és un dels capítols d’una obra col·lectiva que fa un recorregut per la història recent d’Iran. Sota la direcció de la reconegudíssima Marjane Satrapi, els autors i autores d’aquest compendi ens acompanyen, a través de les seves historietes, a fixar la mirada en els diversos interrogants d’aquesta revolució contemporània.

Qui mana a l’Iran? Com opera la censura? Què implica manifestar-se en contra del règim en l’actualitat? Quina és la realitat a la presó d’Evin, que congrega manifestants, artistes i presoners polítics? Com actua la diàspora iraniana? Què implica aquesta revolució? Per què segueix vigent avui dia el crit Dona Vida Llibertat?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, Feminism, Comics, Iran, Bande Dessinée, History

272 pages, Hardcover

First published November 14, 2023

About the author

Marjane Satrapi (Persian: مرجان ساتراپی) is an Iranian-born French contemporary graphic novellist, illustrator, animated film director, and children's book author. Apart from her native tongue Persian, she speaks English, Swedish, German, French and Italian.

Satrapi grew up in Tehran in a family which was involved with communist and socialist movements in Iran prior to the Iranian Revolution. She attended the Lycée Français there and witnessed, as a child, the growing suppression of civil liberties and the everyday-life consequences of Iranian politics, including the fall of the Shah, the early regime of Ruhollah Khomeini, and the first years of the Iran-Iraq War. She experienced an Iraqi air raid and Scud missile attacks on Tehran. According to Persepolis, one Scud hit the house next to hers, killing her friend and entire family.

Satrapi's family are of distant Iranian Azeri ancestry and are descendants of Nasser al-Din Shah, Shah of Persia from 1848 until 1896. Satrapi said that "But you have to know the kings of the Qajar dynasty, they had hundreds of wives. They made thousands of kids. If you multiply these kids by generation you have, I don't know, 10-15,000 princes [and princesses]. There's nothing extremely special about that." She added that due to this detail, most Iranian families would be, in the words of Simon Hattenstone of The Guardian, "blue blooded."

In 1983, at the age of 14 Satrapi was sent to Vienna, Austria by her parents in order to flee the Iranian regime. There she attended the Lycée Français de Vienne. According to her autobiographical graphic novel, Persepolis, she stayed in Vienna through her high school years, staying in friends' homes, but spent three months living on the streets. After an almost deadly bout of pneumonia, she returned to Iran. She studied Visual Communication, eventually obtaining a Master's Degree from Islamic Azad University in Tehran.

During this time, Satrapi went to numerous illegal parties hosted by her friends, where she met a man named Reza, a veteran of the Iran-Iraq War. She married him at the age of 21, but divorced roughly three years later. Satrapi then moved to Strasbourg, France.

Reviews

[s.penkevich [hiatus-will return-miss you all] · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 2022, mass protests swept across Iran following the tragic death of 22 year old Mahsa Amini who died after being beaten by police while detained for allegedly not complying with hijab regulations. These protests, which began on September 16 2022 in Iran, took critical aim at State violence and the oppression of women in Iran. Social media quickly spread word and soon demonstrations began to spring up cities all around the world, though in Iran their pleas for an end to violence was met with more violence. In response, graphic novel veteran Marjane Satrapi gathered artists, journalists and professors for the creation of the graphic novel Woman, Life, Freedom which presents the movement from which it takes its title in short chapters rotating between writers and artists. An important look into the state of Iran and the treatment of women, Woman, Life, Freedom chronicles the events and ideologies in the hopes of educating, garnering support, and ensuring the significance of this woman’s movement is not washed away. A moving and insightful work with fantastic art, harrowing testimonials and more, this is an important work of literature and history in the making (though conditions have become far more violent and harsh according to a recent UN report) and certainly a must-read.

Much like her previous work, the incredible graphic memoir Persepolis, Woman, Life, Freedom both tells the story of a period of time while also offering valuable insight into Iranian politics and society. There are discussions on government structures and a large focus on the Guidance patrol—better known as the “morality police” for their task of determining if women’s manner of dress and behavior could be deemed “sacrilegious”—by whom Mahsa Amini was murdered. There is also in depth and invaluable insight into the long history of women being oppressed in Iran as well as key figures in the movement protesting against such hardships demanding end of state impunity and demanding accountability.

I really loved the variety of artwork in this collection and how each writer had a different story to share as well as method of presenting history. It is a sad subject matter, but one that is important to pay attention to as the book makes the case for widespread unity and participation as the only way towards collective liberation. In this way we see how social media has become such an important aspect of the movement—the Woman, Life, Freedom movement and slogan originated within the women-led Kurdish movements but has since become a globally recognized slogan for women’s liberation largely due to social media—and why journalism and activism is so important to keep a movement alive. Especially one met with such violent resistance, with an estimated 551 people killed (68 of them children) during the protests between Sept 22 to Sept 23, and 19,262 arrested.

This collection does an excellent job of presenting complex issues and politics in an accessible manner and will hopefully draw more attention and support for their cause. ‘I call it a revolution,’ Satrapi said in in conversation about the book with The Guardian, ‘it’s not a revolt, it’s not a movement, it’s a proper revolution.’ She is hopeful for the progress being made, especially the show of unity. ‘I’ve said it many times and nobody says the contrary: I think it’s the first really feminist revolution … and it is supported by men.’
In recent months, however, there has been an increased government crackdown against the movement and women in general, with frequent instances of dangerous car chases to stop women from driving, the intentional blinding of protestors, assaults on teen girls for removing head scarves, and an increase in State executions, rampant documentation of sexual violence used against women and much cover-up or denial. So it is all the more important to push back against the mass violent crackdown against women.
A moving and important work, Woman, Life, Freedom is a must-read.

5/5

[رزی - Woman, Life, Liberty · Rating 2 out of 5]

به درد ما نمی‌خوره. مخاطب کتاب، خارجی‌ایه که چیزی از اعتراضات نمی‌دونه و می‌خواد مختصر بدونه توی ایران چه خبر بوده. حتی از اون لحاظ هم می‌تونست کامل‌تر و بهتر باشه. کتاب تمرکز و توجه بیش از اندازه‌ای روی مسائلی مثل پوشش و شراب گذاشته بود که به جای خودشون مهم هستن و نماد مشکلات زیرین و عمیق‌تری می‌شن، ولی ایران از خیلی لحاظ‌های دیگه‌ای به طرز فجیعی در زمینه حقوق زنان عقبه. دم دستی‌ترین مثالش قوانین ازدواجه (24 شرط ازدواج در اسلام یا شروط ضمن عقد رو بخونید). چه نیازی بود ده بار به شراب اشاره بشه وقتی این قدر مسائل گوناگونی رو می‌شد پوشش داد؟ حاشیه‌نشینان، کولبران، کودکان کار، دختربچه‌هایی که مجبور به ازدواج و زایمان می‌شن، قوانین ناعادلانه‌ی ازدواج و طلاق و ارث و مهریه و نفقه و چندهمسری، جزئیات اعدام‌های دسته‌ای، اعتراضات پیشین ایران، تحریم‌ها، جنگ‌ها و دخالت‌های منطقه‌ای، تروریسم، اقلیت‌های دینی و قومی و جنسیتی، اعضای ال‌جی‌بی‌تی‌کیو، مدیریت دوران کرونا و واکسن، محدودیت شدید اینترنت و مافیای وی‌پی‌ان و... همه ارزش بازگو شدن رو داشتند.
تکرار مکررات زیادی داشت، از بسیاری از افراد شجاع و آزاده اسم نبرد و در تمام طول کتاب همه‌ی مسائل رو برای خواننده‌ی دل‌نازک غربی سختی‌نکشیده، ملایم‌تر از واقعیتش نوشته بود. طوری که منِ ایرانی که این شرایط رو لمس کرده زیاد اهمیت ندادم چه برسه خواننده غربی.


متن پایین رو از یه کانال تلگرامی به نام «در جاده‌های نور» خونده بودم که چون خصوصیه نتونستم دوباره واردش بشم یا لینک بردارم. ولی خب موقع خوندن این اثر یادش افتادم (چون نام‌ها و آدم‌ها برام از هرچیزی مهم‌تر بودن) و احساسش کردم.

به «ائتلاف»به «وکالت»به اسامی مطرح شده نگاه میکنم و به مهسا و نیکا و خدانور و...فکر میکنم و بغض می‌کنم.به دخترایی که رو سقف ماشین‌ها وایسادن،روی سطل زباله‌ها وایسادن،کف خیابون وایسادن،به چشمهایی که ساچمه خورد،بدنهایی که باتوم خورد،طناب دارهایی که بالا رفت به...فکر می‌کنم و بغض می‌کنم.سیاست بلد نیستم،نمی‌دونم چه راهی درسته،ولی دلم می‌خواست اسامی‌ای که تو ائتلاف بود،نسرین ستوده بود،نرگس محمدی بود،حسین رونقی بود،آرش صادقی بود،جعفر پناهی بود،مادر خدانور بود،مادر کیان،مادر..مادر..تو این خراب‌شده هر دقیقه بهونه‌ای هست واسه اشک و بغض.شعارهای مترقی رو از سنندج و سیستان بشنوید.از زخم‌های کف خیابون.سیاست رو بلد نیستم،نگاه کردن به زخم‌ها رو بلدم

[Joana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book arrived at work and I was very curious to pick it up, and the book didn't disappoint!!! While Marjane Satrapi acts as a coordinator here, it still brings so much of what her books do, this better understanding of a different culture, and this one specifically the story of Mahsa Amini, how it fits into the history of Iran and what sparked going forward.
The book does an incredible job combining different voices, with different art styles, and "storytelling" styles, and how that represents the different truths and experiences of Iran.
Definitely a read to recommend more and more, and I'll add here the link to another edition, this one with a cover, Woman, Life, Freedom!!

[Biblio Bat · Rating 4 out of 5]

این کتاب رو تو جاده‌ی رشت به تهران، وقتی که از قبل حالم خوب نبود شروع کردم.
وسط صدای اتوبوس و پاپ بی‌کیفیت امروزی و سیگارهایی که راننده دودشو می‌فرسته عقب، ذره ذره رفتم جلو و سلول به سلول آتیش گرفتم. الان فقط‌ می‌خوام برسم خوابگاه و منم نخ خودمو روشن کنم و دودشو بفرستم هوا؛ مثل همه‌ی چیزای دیگه‌ای که رفتن هوا و دو تا پامو محکم‌تر سفت کنم رو زمین؛ مثل همه‌ی اونایی که هنوز سخت واستادن و مبارزه می‌کنن. آره آقای ایتالیایی که اسمت یادم نیست و حرفت یادمه:
"من در قلبم، خیلی ناامیدم، ولی در مغزم بسیار امیدوارم"
مرور پشت هم لحظه‌های بیشتر تلخ و گاه شیرینی که زندگی کردیم کار راحتی نبود؛ باید بین صفحه‌ها نفس می‌گرفتی تا بری جلو. فقط می‌تونم‌ بگم این کتاب مربوط به حاله. ما عبور نکردیم. این حافظه‌ی جمعی خونین و زنده‌ی ماست که آلبوم مکتوبی شده برای قلب‌های تکه تکه‌ی شاید ناامید و ذهن‌های منسجم هنوز امیدوار.
ماندگار خواهد موند، درست مثل شعار #زن_زندگی_آزادی

[Marta Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Desde a Revolução Islâmica de 1979, as iranianas estão proibidas de assistir aos jogos de futebol, salvo competições femininas.
- A presença de mulheres nos estádios é prejudicial e não tem qualquer justificação religiosa! Quando uma mulher vai a um estádio e olha para homens seminus, é pecado!”

O país, a sociedade e a mulher iraniana vista pelas mãos de vários ilustradores, uma verdadeira obra de arte, pelo seu conteúdo e ilustrações.

[Carolyn Walsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. This is a powerful, informative graphic novel, well deserving of 5 Stars for its content and message. Like most anthologies, some entries were better than others, making it uneven in its exposure to government oppression and gross human rights violations. Since art is subjective from the viewer's perspective, some graphic illustrations may fall short for the reader, and some chapters seem like fillers. Overall, this is an important book.

Marjane Satrapi, author of the bestselling graphic novel Persepolis, returns with this influential new illustrated anthology, an eye/mind-opening collection describing recent protests that became widespread throughout Iran. I thought I followed world news, but I was only vaguely aware of the disturbing oppression, lack of personal freedom, and harsh punishment by the regime. This book brought information and insight to a whole new level.

Marjane Satrapi has collaborated with over twenty writers, journalists, illustrators, academics, and activists to depict recent public uprisings in solidarity with male activists in the defence of women. On September 13, 2022, a young female student, Masha Amini, was arrested by the brutal morality police for the crime of not wearing her hijab (head scarf) correctly. Its proper wearing was ordered by religious extremists in control of the government. She was beaten so severely at the police station that she lapsed into a coma and died three days later. Protests erupted around Iran with the chant of 'Woman, Life, Freedom'.
It illustrates the intolerance toward women but also toward all citizens who have been terrorized to deter protests. The harsh treatment, death by police torture, and the hanging of numerous martyrs who oppose the regime (with the authorized state violence) are brought to our attention, making for mournful reading. The UN reports that between September 22 and 23, 2022, 551 people were killed during the protests and many more injured. The UN fact-finding committee issued a searing report in 2024.
Recommended. As soon as I saw the French version (which I cannot read) belonging to my daughter-in-law, I knew I must order the book in English. It gave me a greater understanding of recent events in Iran

[Katya]

Duas jovens mulheres são as editoras do livro. Fazem agora «coleções de ciências humanas» em banda desenhada. Têm editoras universitárias. Oh, meu Deus, ajudem-me! A banda desenhada corre o risco de vir a ser alguma coisa.

Eu diria mesmo que a banda desenhada sempre foi alguma coisa, mas, como em tudo, a partir do momento em que as mulheres ganharam visibilidade através deste meio, como criadoras e consumidoras, o universo da banda desenhada ganhou uma nova dimensão social. E MULHER, VIDA, LIBERDADE é o exemplo perfeito deste novo paradigma.
Nascido do movimento a que pede emprestado o título (o qual, por sua vez, se apropria do slogan curdo independentista, cantado também pelas milícias femininas a combater o Estado Islâmico), MULHER, VIDA, LIBERDADE é um projeto colaborativo raro que oferece um conjunto-chave de narrativas ilustradas que não só apresentam o movimento revolucionário iraniano, como fornecem o backgroud histórico desta resistência, alicerçado na história social e política de uma nação relativamente (e progressivamente) liberal até aos anos 80.
Do assassinato de Mahsa Amini (que faz despontar a rebelião), em 2022, à publicação deste tomo havia passado um ano: neste espaço de tempo as forças de segurança tinham envenenado os fornecimentos de água, atacado escolas, crianças e protestantes de forma brutal; milhares de pessoas tinham sido detidas e torturadas, mas a resistência mantinha-se (e os depoimentos destes homens e mulheres são brutais e essenciais em partes iguais). Estamos em 2025, e a violação dos direitos humanos pela República Islâmica está longe de ter terminado. Nestes três anos, o movimento dissidente, composto sobretudo de jovens escolarizados, continua a resistir e a conseguir contornar o aparato de vigilância e opressão, cada vez mais intricado, do sistema. A censura e a perseguição continuam, mas também a reação:

- Há imagens da manifestação na internet, vai tornar-se viral, não fomos espancados em vão!
- O que fazemos amanhã?
- Recomeçamos!

Para as mulheres, a perserverança (não a passividade) é uma forma de rebelião particularmente familiar e eficaz, e a Revolução Iraniana provar-nos-á isso mesmo, mais uma vez (e não será a única, basta pensarmos nas fórmulas de resistência empregues pelas mulheres na Ucrânia ou Palestina, para mencionar apenas os conflitos mais badalados em solo europeu).
Desgastar um regime fundamentalista será, certamente, uma das tarefas mais árduas de conseguir, mas as mulheres nada têm a perder nesta luta:

Viver sozinha, ser solteira, não depender de um homem, usar maquilhagem, passar verniz nas unhas, ter um piercing, tatuagens, usar um lenço com o cabelo à mostra ou simplesmente estar sem lenço, usar roupas coloridas, leggings ou um casaco pouco convencional, conduzir uma scooter ou uma mota, trabalhar, ser independente, tocar música, cantar, fumar, beber álcool, namoriscar, viajar sozinha, não querer ter filhos, dormir com um homem ou uma mulher...

Ser livre!

Estes pequenos gestos, alguns dos quais proibidos e severamente punidos por lei, estão longe de ser triviais.
Como diz o famoso provérbio persa: são as gotas que fazem o mar.



Lentamente, com o colapso do poderio nuclear nacional e o alastramento dos atos de dissidência, o povo iraniano tem visto o número de detenções em massa descer lenta, mas solidamente, provando que a força está nos números.
Marjane Satrapi arrisca, na conversa que fecha este volume, a afirmação mais bela quando defende que [a] próxima revolta será fatal. Fizeram quarenta e cinco anos, não chegarão aos cinquenta. Arrisco dizer que o regime começa a encarar essa realidade.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very informative look at the protests that erupted in Iran in 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini at the hands of the government's morality police for not wearing her head covering correctly.

It's all very sad and upsetting, made all the worse by the fact that aside from this book I haven't heard anything about the movement or its progress in the last year in any of the news sources I regularly visit.

I became aware of this book from a list of 10 Exciting New Graphic Novels From 2024 (So Far) that has been pretty dependable (so far). Want to see how many you've read? Check the Goodreads list.



FOR REFERENCE:

Contents:

• Preface / Marjane Satrapi, writer
• A Persian Tale of Good and Evil / Abbas Milani, writer; Marjane Satrapi, illustrator

Part I: The Events / Marjane Satrapi, writer; Rahi Rezvani, photographer
• Sparking a Revolution / Farid Vahid, writer; Bahareh Akrami, illustrator
• The Birth of a Slogan / Jean-Pierre Perrin, writer; Catel (a/k/a Catel Muller), illustrator
• The Anthem of the Uprising / Farid Vahid, writer; Shervin Hajipour, songwriter; Shabnam Adiban, illustrator
• A Demonstration in Iran / Jean-Pierre Perrin, writer; Pascal Rabaté, illustrator
• In the Hellhole of Evin Prison / Farid Vahid, writer; Mana Neyestani, illustrator
• Bloody Friday / Jean-Pierre Perrin, writer; Winshluss (a/k/a Vincent Paronnaud), illustrator
• Rebelling at Twenty / Farid Vahid, writer; Paco Roca, illustrator
• The Winter of Executions / Jean-Pierre Perrin, writer; Touka Neyestani, illustrator
• Poisoned Schoolgirls / Farid Vahid, writer; Bee, illustrator
• They're Watching You / Farid Vahid, writer; Mana Neyestani, illustrator

Part II: A Bit of History / Marjane Satrapi, writer; Rahi Rezvani, photographer
• The Three Revolutions / Abbas Milani, writer; Hamoun, illustrator
• Nowruz With the Family / Farid Vahid, writer; Hippolyte, illustrator
• Who Rules Iran? / Jean-Pierre Perrin, writer; Touka Neyestani, illustrator
• Feared and Hated / Marjane Satrapi, writer and illustrator
• The Rich Kids of the Regime / Farid Vahid, writer; Patricia Bolaños, illustrator
• The Madness of Censorship / Jean-Pierre Perrin, writer; Lewis Trondheim, illustrator; Brigitte Findakly, colorist
• Dialogue With the Dead / Jean-Pierre Perrin, writer; Paco Roca, illustrator

Part III: An Iron Regime . . . A People Resisting / Marjane Satrapi, writer; Rahi Rezvani, photographer
• Names That Will Go Down in History / Farid Vahid, writer; Bahareh Akrami, illustrator
• In the Heart of the Diaspora / Farid Vahid, writer; Bee, illustrator
• A Party Frought With Peril / Farid Vahid, writer; Shabnam Adiban, illustrator
• The Art of Rebellion / Farid Vahid, writer; Deloupy (a/k/a Serge Prud'homme), illustrator
• Male Turf / Jean-Pierre Perrin, writer; Coco (a/k/a Corinne Rey), illustrator
• Women Saying No / Jean-Pierre Perrin, writer; Nicolas Wild, illustrator

And Then? . . . / Marjane Satrapi, writer; Rahi Rezvani, photographer
• [What's the Color of Iran?] / A discussion between Marjane Satrapi, Farid Vahid, Jean-Pierre Perrin, and Professor Abbas Milani; Joann Sfar, illustrator

• Contributors

[نازنینا · Rating 2 out of 5]

استاد ادبیّاتم بهم یاد داده توی داستان به صداهایی که بهشون پرداخته نمی‌شه هم فکر کنم. به این که جرا نویسنده از فرد خاصّی حرف زده ولی ترجیح داده از عدّه‌ای صحبت نکنه. پس می‌تونم بپرسم چرا نرگس محمّدی، نسرین ستوده و حامد اسماعیلیون بهشون پرداخته می‌شه امّا توی چنین کتاب مهمّی که قراره صدای ما رو برسونه حرفی از سپیده رشنو، فاطمه سپهری، گوهر عشقی، سپیده قلیان و غیره و غیره نیست.
کتاب ارزشمندیه چون اطّلاعات خوبی درباره ریشه‌ی جنبش و اتّفاقات قبل و بعدش داره. امّا بیشتر به درد خواننده‌ی غیرایرانی می‌خوره. برای من، به شخصه، تکرار مکرّرات و حوصله‌سربر بود. و البتّه گاهی گریه‌آور.

[bookgirlyyy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoaaa I loved this book. It was really powerful and educated me a lot on Iran and issues that were/are happening there, and also what its citizens are doing to stand up against the regime.

I also loved how it's an anthology because it was super impactful to me to see all these different people come together and write about the same thing, and seeing everyone's different art styles was really cool too!

[Lesincele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totalmente necesario para enterder el movimiento por los derechos de las mujeres iniciado por el asesinato de Mahsa Amini por no llevar bien puesto el velo.
También nos explicará aspectos políticos, religiosos, sociales...
Una nueva joya de la autora.

[Lucia Nieto Navarro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro escrito por varios artistas y que entre todos a logrado ilustrar una revolución que comenzó con el asesinato de Mahsa Amini por la policía iraní solamente por no llevar bien puesto el velo.
.
Cada uno de los artistas nos contará el antes, el durante y el después de la historia de Irán , o parte de ella …
.
Un libro necesario que no deja indiferente, porque todo lo que pasa es real y cruel aunque a la vez un poquito de esperanza.
.
Una novela que te hará pensar y reflexionar y que uniré a mujeres y a hombres por la lucha de la libertad.
.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very impressed with this excellent graphic history of Iran and the ongoing fight for woman’s rights. It really opened my eyes on what this country is about and how incredibly courageous these Iranian activists are. It reminded me of the Civil Rights battles that were fought in this country. We pray that one day, these activists can throw off the shackles of this tyrannical regime. Highly recommended.

[Marta Cava]

Un còmic col·laboratiu entre diferents autors i il·lustradors - coordinats per Marjane Satrapi - on s'explica l'assassinat de la jove Masha Amini i com funciona el règim d'Iran contra les dones. Una lectura ideal per adolescents i per tenir a les biblios escolars de Secundària

[Eduardo Firmo Morais · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conjunto de histórias avassaladoras, tocantes e inspiradoras. Quantas mais ficam por descobrir e por contar... Quantos sentimentos e pensamentos, quanta dor, quanta esperança, quanto é vivido por humanos no Irão, em Gaza, em Israel, na Ucrânia.... e em todo o lado que vai além deste excelente livro.

Que possa haver um Abril no Irão.

[słomka]

Ta książka nie jest do oceniania, tylko do czytania.
Każdy powinien widzieć co się dzieje w Iranie.

[Alexiel Dubois · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un’incredibile Graphic Novel dove Satrapi ha riunito diversi illustratori iraniani e non per raccontare la brama e la giusta rivalsa di libertà.
Una Graphic Novel che leva in alto il grido devastante di donne ingiustamente oppresse.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Powerful, haunting, and important are all words that come to mind for this graphic artist collection of stories of fighting the oppression of Iranian women. WOMAN, LIFE, FREEDOM is one of those materials that can inform and inspire a worldwide audience.

[Alan (the Lone Librarian rides again) Teder · Rating 5 out of 5]

زن آزادی زندگی
Review of the Seven Stories Press paperback (March 19, 2024) translated by Una Dimitrijevic from the French language original Femme vie liberté (November 14, 2023).

On September 16, 2022, in Iran, Mahsa Amini succumbed to beatings from the morality police because she had not worn her veil "well." Her death sparked a wave of protests across the country, which turned into an unprecedented women’s movement. One year later, Marjane Satrapi and Abbas Milani discuss her death, the fight for women’s rights in Iran, and the new book "Woman, Life, Freedom" (L ‘Iconoclast). In this book, Marjane Satrapi brought together three specialists: Farid Vahid, political scientist, Jean-Pierre Perrin, acclaimed reporter, Abbas Milani, historian, and seventeen of the greatest cartoonists from Europe, the United States, and Iran to tell the story of this major event for Iran, and for all of us. - excerpt from the printed introduction to the video linked below.

Marjane Satrapi is primarily known for her biographical graphic novel The Complete Persepolis (2000-2003) and its later film adaptation. She has worked on later graphic novels such as Chicken with Plums (2004), but has devoted herself more to film production and directing in recent years. The murder of Mahsa Amini by the Iranian regime provoked her to return to graphic art in a limited fashion (she draws some panels in this book) but mainly to act as coordinator for its overall writing and illustrating.

Several editors and writers along with a few dozen illustrators (many of them like Satrapi being Iranian ex-pats) produce 25 separate stories / vignettes / editorials / discussions about the Mahsa Amini murder and the resulting rise of the "Woman Life Freedom" movement of resistance and protest in Iran which operates under the perilous conditions of the repressive authoritarian regime. The stories here are broken into 3 sections: The Events. A Bit of History and An Iron Regime...A People Resisting.


"An Iron Regime ... A People Resisting." Image sourced from an article at the English language edition of Le Monde. Behind a paywall, but the beginning of the article is viewable.

The overall impression is an overwhelming one of the courage of the people especially the women, who quietly work towards a future liberation of Iran from its repression. One comment predicts that although the regime has survived 45 years, it will not be around for the 50th.

Trivia and Links
There is a discussion about the original French language publication of the book on YouTube at the Stanford Iranian Studies Program channel. The discussion is in Persian but you can turn on subtitles in almost any language. There is also a link to the Persian translation of the book which is here.

[Jasmine Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un résumé de l'histoire et de la politique iraniennes, et surtout du mouvement "Femme, vie, liberté" en format BD - excellent pour ceux qui veulent élever leur niveau politique avec du "easy reading" 💗💗💗

[Roxy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! J'ai adoré le concept de collectif. J'ai beaucoup appris et j'ai hâte d'en parler au club de lecture la semaine prochaine😊

[Chadi Raheb · Rating 5 out of 5]

«من در این سرزمین، بارها از دنیا رفته‌ام»

[Alberto Martín de Hijas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un libro colectivo sobre las protestas y la represión en Irán tras el asesinato de Mahsa Amini. Los textos son potentes, pero los cómics dejan a veces una sensación de incompletitud (Supongo que por reflejar un proceso en curso)

[Célia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un livre nécessaire qui illustre la révolution qui commence par les femmes et les hommes d’Iran.
On apprend beaucoup de choses et on ne peut qu’espérer des lendemains meilleurs pour ce peuple.

[Ángela Ma. Sánchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

"El arte de la rebeldía es un combate cotidiano".

[Roberta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marjane Satrapi torna al fumetto con questa antologia dedicata alle donne iraniane.
Non mentirò: la lettura è difficile. Le donne, le ragazze (ma anche alcuni uomini) vengono abitualmente molestate, arrestate, torturate e uccise.

Donna, vita, libertà è uno slogan di origine curda, diventato internazionale dopo l'uccione di Mahsa Amini ( https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morte_d... ), pestata a morte per aver indossato male il velo. E purtroppo non è un caso isolato: storia dopo storia leggiamo di costante oppressione e violenza, di un governo corrotto che usa la religione per tenere il popolo in schiavitù.

L'Iran è lontano? No, in realtà no. Il volume affronta anche il problema della diaspora iraniana, a causa della quale i giovani fuggono all'estero, portandosi via forza e competenze.

[Rute Durão · Rating 5 out of 5]

Com um ano a ganhar pó na estante, andava a fugir deste livro, porque sabia que era um livro duro e porque já não lia BD à muito, muito, tempo. Com a infeliz notícia da prisão da ativista iraniana de direitos humanos e prémio Nobel da Paz 2023, Narges Mohammadi, entendi que era o momento de o ler.

Este é um livro gráfico, um projeto conjunto de ilustradores, historiadores, jornalistas e escritores, iranianos e europeus. Conta-nos a origem do lema Mulher Vida Liberdade, os motivos da resistência iraniana e as consequências brutais da repressão do regime teocrático e autoritário. Mas explica também, de forma simples, que o Irão é maior e mais antigo que os seus aiatolas, a história do país é de sobrevivência e a luta do povo é pela liberdade. É mais que um grito de protesto, é uma forma de mostrar ao povo iraniano reprimido que cada uma das suas vidas importa.

[Vivek KuRa · Rating 3 out of 5]

An important book on a very divisive subject of women's freedom, role and life in the Muslim world, particularly in Iran.

I expected the book to be more like Persepolis and it is NOT. Marjane's illustrations are very few in this book. Instead it is a collection of illustrations by multiple artists on this. I really did not care for the format of the book though. You can give it a try if the subject intrigues you.

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Woman, Life, Freedom" depicts the inhumane treatment of women (and male allies) in Iran using as its baseline the murder of Mahsa Amini in 2022 for wearing her headscarf improperly. Through short but powerful chapters, beautifully illustrated by the contributing artists, the book portrays the historical and cultural context of the oppression. Yet also portrayed is the hope that drives the strength, bravery, and resolution of the protestors.

[Paula]

es el libro que menos me ha gustado de Marjane Satrapi, a pesar de que ser un tema que sí conocía (el caso de Mahsa Amini), y supongo que ha sido porque en esta ocasión lo hace en formato colectivo y su estilo queda limitado a pocas páginas.

con todo, es una lectura necesaria para no olvidar (o conocer) la muerte de la kurdo-iraní bajo custodia policial por "llevar mal puesto el velo" ni las protestas que surgieron después y que terminaron tras una represión que dejó alrededor de 500 muertos.