Abbas Kiarostami, widely regarded as one of cinema's greatest auteurs, created films that blended poetic beauty with deep philosophical insights, exploring themes of existence, identity, and human connection. Born in Tehran in 1940, he began his career making commercials before turning to filmmaking with The Bread and Alley (1970), a short film that laid the foundation for his later focus on childhood and human psychology. His early feature The Traveler (1974), about a boy escaping his difficult reality through football, displayed his talent for capturing the innocence and resilience of youth. Kiarostami gained international recognition with Close-Up (1990). His Koker Trilogy – Where Is the Friend’s House? (1987), Life, and Nothing More... (1992), and Through the Olive Trees (1994) – solidified his reputation, using simple narratives to delve into profound metaphysical questions. In A Taste of Cherry (1997), which won the Palme d'Or, Kiarostami delivered a quiet meditation on life and death, reinforcing his status as a global cinematic force. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, he continued to push boundaries with films like The Wind Will Carry Us (1999) and Certified Copy (2010), crafting works that were both intimate and universal. Kiarostami's unique approach to storytelling, using minimalism to evoke complex emotions, left an indelible mark on world cinema, and his death in 2016 marked the loss of a visionary whose work continues to inspire filmmakers and audiences around the globe.
in Farsi
with English and Hungarian subtitles
