Persepolis: parents' guide
Best for ages 14 and up. Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material including violent images, sexual references, language and brief drug content.
A powerful animated memoir for teens who are ready for history that hurts. Marjane Satrapi grows up during Iran's 1979 revolution and the war with Iraq, then struggles alone as a teenager in Vienna. The black-and-white style softens what is shown, but loved ones are jailed, tortured and executed, bombs fall on neighbors, one line reveals a prisoner was raped before her execution, and Marjane later attempts suicide with pills. As a teen she drinks, smokes and tries pot, sex is discussed frankly, and there is one f-word. In French with subtitles or an English dub. Best for about 14 and up, ideally with a parent ready to talk.
What's in it
Violence
ModerateStylized but harrowing: firing squads, a public hanging, torture briefly shown in silhouette, bombings, and a young man falling to his death while fleeing police. Marjane's mother explains that a young woman prisoner was forced to 'marry' a guard before execution, a spoken reference to rape.
Language
ModerateThe BBFC notes a single f-word. Other words include 's--t,' 'bastard,' 'dick' and 'ass,' and Movieguide counted 17 obscenities and six milder profanities in total.
Sex and nudity
ModerateNo nudity. Sex with a boyfriend is implied in one scene, Marjane finds a later boyfriend in bed with another woman, and she talks frankly with friends about sex. There are a few mild references to prostitution, plus kissing and hugging.
Drinking, drugs and smoking
StrongShown briefly: as a teenager in Vienna, Marjane drinks, smokes cigarettes and smokes a joint with friends. Adults in Tehran get drunk at secret parties where alcohol is banned, and Marjane keeps drinking and smoking as an adult.
Scary or intense scenes
ModerateFear runs through the story: militia patrols, air-raid sirens, a neighbor girl's arm visible in the rubble of her bombed home, a beloved uncle's execution, Marjane's time homeless and gravely ill in Vienna, and her deep depression and suicide attempt.
Sensitive topics
- Suicide
- Death of a child
- Sexual assault
Worth talking about
Marjane's grandmother urges her to stay true to herself and keep her dignity. Ask your teen how Marjane tries to hold onto that advice, and what it costs her, as the rules around her keep changing.
On our lists
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Checked October 13th, 2026 against bbfc.co.uk, Common Sense Media, movieguide.org, Wikipedia, the MPA, Rotten Tomatoes, moviemom.com. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.