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Search 713 spoiler-free recommendations from 1916 to 2026. Filter by the night you want—not the list you’re supposed to finish.

Direct film viewShowing master rank #176 on its own—not above the ranking.
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DirectorAll directors

Most represented · 6+ films

More recurring directors · 3–5 films54
All directors · surname A–Z438
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Big Three membership
Major award winners

1 selected film

Master Rank balances Greatness, Engagement, and Ease. Sort by Greatness for the artistic-canon view.

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View Persepolis film page
Original poster artwork · Great Cinema Master List

Spoiler-free premise

A spirited girl grows up in Iran amid revolution, war, and changing expectations.

Read expanded premiseLonger, still spoiler-free

Marjane Satrapi grows up in Tehran as the Iranian Revolution replaces the Shah with an Islamic republic and war reshapes daily life. Her outspoken independence leads through family resistance, adolescence abroad in Vienna, and a complicated relationship to home.

Why it belongs

In Persepolis, Satrapi and Paronnaud translate memoir into bold graphic movement, joining political history to humor, rebellion, exile, and family intimacy.

Read expanded why it belongsThe fuller editorial case

The simple line makes regime change and war legible while leaving room for irreverence and private contradiction. Stark black-and-white silhouettes, sudden visual metaphor, pop music, and Marjane's expressive figure preserve the graphic memoir's directness.

Major award record

Metadata only · zero points in 40/40/20
Cannes1 win2007 · official festival record ↗

Plus 1 additional win

No headline-category win to name

Totals include every recorded competitive win. Only Picture or top-film honors, Direction, Screenplay, and lead or supporting performances are named.

Good for
Date NightFilm Club
Descriptive guidance derived from rating, genre, runtime, mood, and GCML scores.

Institutional reference ranks

Sight & Sound—IMDb Top 250—AFI 100—
Reference metadata only · not part of the 40/40/20 score

Great Cinema Master List scores

Greatness8.8
Engagement9.2
Ease9.1

French · PG-13
Animated Feature
Mood: Imaginative & Accessible