Marjane Satrapi Announces New Animated Feature Exploring Climate Change Through Personal Narrative
PARIS, France — In a formal announcement today, Iranian-French graphic novelist and filmmaker Marjane Satrapi revealed her upcoming animated feature film, tentatively titled "The Melt of Memory." The project is scheduled for release in early 2026.
Satrapi, best known for her autobiographical graphic novel "Persepolis" and its award-winning animated film adaptation, is developing the new work with a primary focus on the human impact of climate change. According to a statement from her production studio, the narrative will follow a single family tree across three generations, charting how environmental shifts alter their migratory patterns, cultural traditions, and personal memories.
The filmmaker explained the project in a pre-recorded video statement to journalists, stating, "We often discuss climate change in abstract statistics. I wanted to anchor it in the visceral, intimate loss of what we carry within us, much like how my own family history shaped my identity."
Production is set to begin in September 2024 at studios in both Paris and Montreal. Satrapi will serve as both director and primary screenwriter, with an original score by French electronic composer Nicolas Becker. Funding for the project comes from a consortium of French and Canadian film boards, alongside a private European environmental foundation.
When asked about the timing of the announcement, Satrapi's publicist cited the current global focus on environmental policy ahead of the COP30 conference. The film is expected to target a mature audience, with themes of displacement, resilience, and intergenerational memory. No casting details have been provided at this time.