In 1979, the family of Marjane Satrapi happily follows the fall of the iranian Shah, while Marjane is still a child, and now hopes for a democratic, secular country. But soon their expectations are dismissed: a radical islamic party takes over the power and the public is being repressed.
The film deals with the coming-of-age of Marjane, who is often noticed in a negative way by other iranians for her feminist, rebellious ways and who is thus sent to Vienna for a Lyceum. She enjoys the possibilities of a western democracy, but is confronted with racism and other negative aspects and after an almost deadly bronchitis decides to return to Iran.
There she falls into a depression that ends with a failed suicide attempt after taking sleeping pills, during which she dreams of a discussion with God and Karl Marx, who tell her to enjoy life. Marjanes depression ends and she begins attending university and marries after experiencing difficulties about having a boyfriend in public. Yet, she remains rebellious, which is noticed negatively in university and her marriage soon reveals itself as a stagnating frustration, so that she gets a divorce with the support from her grandmother. Marjanes family decides it's too dangerous for her in Iran, since she might be considered a political dissident by the regime, and sends her to france, prohibiting her to return to Iran. Marjan reluctantly agrees and leaves the country. There - unlike in Austria - she stands openly to her origins.