2021 Cannes Marathon: 24 Frames

 

(Played in Special 70th Anniversary Events Section at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival)

Written and directed by Abbas Kiarostami, 24 Frames is an experimental film that bridges Kiarostami’s love of film and photography into one explore the images he had captured for much of his life. The film is a look into Kiarostami as an artist as the man himself showcases the work that gives him life in what is the filmmaker’s final film which was completed after his death in July of 2016 with the aid of his son Ahmad. The result is an evocative and exquisite film from Abbas Kiarostami.

The film is essentially 24 stills based on the photographs of Abbas Kiarostami where it showcases what happens before and after where each shot is presented for four-and-a-half minutes as they come to life. It is a film that takes a simple premise of Kiarostami’s love of photography and digital filmmaker as it meshes into one where these 24 shots play into that love as if the photos come to life. With the exception of the first shot of the film in a recreation of Pieter Brueghel the Eldger’s painting Hunters in the Snow, the 23 other shots in the film are all recreations of sorts of Kiarostami’s own photographs through animation and visual effects. The recreation of Hunters in the Snow shows exactly what to expect as flurries of snow emerged with animals in the painting starting to move, smoke coming out of chimneys, and a dog is sniffing around the tree. Many of the images that Kiarostami presents are essentially landscapes set either in the snow, the ocean, or on a rainy day.

With the aid of cinematographers Dariush Gorji Zadeh, Peyman Solhi, Delaram Delashob, and Yousef Khoshnaghsh as well as the work of visual effects supervisor Ali Kamali, Kiarostami creates these scenes of nature with some hand-drawn animation of animals or in digital animation where it helps play into the beauty of what one does in taking a photograph. There are also actors that would appear such as a shot of a family looking at the Eiffel Tower as they would stand still while people are walking in the foreground including a musician singing a song. The sound work of Ensieh Maleki adds to the atmosphere of these images as it play off on natural soundscapes in those environments as well as the way animals sound. There are some music that is played as the soundtrack largely consists of classical and operatic pieces along with a folk piece for the Eiffel Tower section.

The emphasis on minimalism and simplicity is what makes the film interesting to watch as each shot ends in a fade-to-black with the exception of sorts for the final shot of the film. It all play into Kiarostami’s idea of what he sees in a photograph or in an image and how much life it has. Even in something like a group of sheep huddling together around a tree or cows walking on the beach while one of them is lying on the sand. Much of the shots are presented in black-and-white with a few in color as it adds to the beauty of the visuals but also ideas about the simplicity of life. Even in something that could be considered banal but for four-and-a-half-minutes of these 24 frames, Kiarostami creates something that is fitting about his views on life and tells it with such grace and beauty.

24 Frames is a sensational film from Abbas Kiarostami. It is a film that doesn’t try to be anything but a straightforward experimental film that plays into the meshing of film and photography to display about the joys and simplicity of life. As a final piece of work for Kiarostami, it is a fitting way for the filmmaker to go out on his own terms and in a somber and graceful manner. In the end, 24 Frames is an incredible film from Abbas Kiarostami.

Abbas Kiarostami Films: (The Experience) – The Traveler (1974 film) - (A Wedding) – The Report (1977 film) - (First Case, Second Case) – (Fellow Citizens) – (First Graders) – Where is the Friend's House? - Homework (1989 film) - Close-Up - Life, and Nothing More... - Through the Olive Trees - Taste of Cherry - (The Wind Will Carry Us) – (ABC Africa) – (Ten (2002 film)) – (Five (2003 film)) – (10 on Ten) – (Shirin) – Certified Copy - Like Someone in Love

© thevoid99 2021

Homework (1989 film)

 

Written, directed, and co-edited by Abbas Kiarostami, Homework is a documentary film about the lives of students at the Shahid Masumi primary school in Tehran as well as their parents. The film explores the lives of these kids and their families as well as the struggles they endure to get a good education. The result is a fascinating and insightful film from Abbas Kiarostami.

Shot in February of 1988 at the Shahid Masumi primary school in Tehran, the film follows the lives of various young students at the school as filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami interviews them about their homework and the struggles to finish it as well as perspective from a couple of fathers who also share their own struggles. The film is largely straightforward as it features Kiarostami talking to a student and get insight into what they do after school and why they don’t finish their homework all the time as it also has discussion of punishments the kids had to endure from their parents. Much of Kiarostami’s work features simple set-ups and compositions in how he interviews each student with a few shots of himself talking as he wants to learn more as he has a son that also struggles with his homework in school.

With the aid of co-editor Yavar Toorang in compiling a lot of the interviews including shots of kids reciting a daily pledge of allegiance before school begins. Kiarostami and his cinematographers in Iraj Safavi and Ali Asghar Mirzai showcase that scene where the sound is cut off to showcase some of the lack of attention span in some of the kids who prefer to goof off and have conversations rather than do this pledge. It play into the idea that these kids probably have learning disabilities that teachers, parents, and the government might’ve overlooked or dismissed as Kiarostami asks some of those kids the struggles. Even in a couple of fathers who admit that work and illiteracy contribute to the reasons why their sons couldn’t finish their homework without their help. It does show these two men in a sympathetic light as it play into their own struggles as they do want what is best for their children despite the tremendous circumstances they have to endure.

With the help of sound recordist Ahmad Asgari and sound mixer Changiz Sayad in capturing the audio of the interviews and pledge scenes, Kiarostami keeps much of the production simple to the point that there’s no music to accompany everything until the end. The film’s music by Mohammad Reza Aligholi is terrific for its somber and mesmerizing orchestral score as it only appears in the film’s final interview and closing credits.

Homework is a marvelous film from Abbas Kiarostami. Featuring its simple presentation and its willingness to ask simple questions from children and adults about education and their struggles. It is a documentary film that plays it simple yet manages to get a lot of compelling answers. In the end, Homework is a remarkable film from Abbas Kiarostami.

Abbas Kiarostami Films: (The Experience) – The Traveler (1974 film) - (A Wedding) – The Report (1977 film) - (First Case, Second Case) – (Fellow Citizens) – (First Graders) – Where is the Friend's House? - Close-Up - Life, and Nothing More... - Through the Olive Trees - Taste of Cherry - (The Wind Will Carry Us) – (ABC Africa) – (Ten (2002 film)) – (Five (2003 film)) – (10 on Ten) – (Shirin) – Certified Copy - Like Someone in Love - 24 Frames

© thevoid99 2021

2020 Blind Spot Series: Through the Olive Trees

 

Written, directed, designed, and edited by Abbas Kiarostami, Through the Olive Trees is the story of an actor who pines for the woman he marries in another film as he pursues her while dealing with the people he met in that film a few years before. The third and final film of a trilogy of films set around the village of Koker in the north of Iran, it’s a film that is based on the production of Life, and Nothing More… as it once again blurs the line of what is real and what is fiction. Starring Mohammad Ali Keshavarz, Farhad Kheradmand, Zarifeh Shiva, Hossein Rezai, Tahereh Ladanian, Hocine Redai, Babak Ahmadpour, Ahmad Ahmadpour, and Mahbanou Darabi. Through the Olive Trees is an intoxicating and ravishing film from Abbas Kiarostami.

The film is about a fictionalized re-telling of the production of Life, and Nothing More… in which there’s a scene of the filmmaker having a conversation with a newlywed as that person is trying to pursue the woman who is playing his wife into marrying him. It’s a film that explores life in Koker where a filmmaker is trying to make a film but is dealing with a lot of the drama that is happening behind the scenes. The film’s screenplay by Abbas Kiarostami definitely blur the lines between fiction and reality as there are people from the two previous films of his trilogy who appear as themselves while the stonemason named Hossein (Hossein Rezai) is trying to pursue his co-star in Tahereh (Tahereh Ladanian) who has no interest in him. The script also showcases a filmmaker, his assistant, and others trying to get the scene made while looking upon the surroundings they’re in.

Kiarostami’s direction is largely straightforward though he does blur the line of what is real and what is fantasy throughout the film as it is shot on location in Koker, Iran with the zig-zag road on a hill being a common image throughout all three films. While there aren’t a lot of close-ups in the film in favor of wide and medium shots to get a scope of the locations as well as this one singular recreation of a scene from Life, and Nothing More… with its lone static camera shot that lingers for a few minutes. Kiarostami also creates shots that goes on for a few minutes such as a scene of the director’s assistant driving a car and picking up a few passengers including Ahmad and Babak Ahmadpour from Where is the Friend’s House? who were picking up flowers for the scene. Kiarostami also maintains this air of realism where the filmmaker (Mohammad Ali Keshavarz) is talking to young women for the role that needs for the scene as it’s the first scene of the film.

Also serving as the film’s editor and production designer, Kiarostami manages to recreate the home all of its detail for the scene from Life, and Nothing More… as well as maintain something straightforward in the editing in order to let shots and conversations linger for a few minutes. Most notably in how he creates that scene and then cut to a shot of the director yelling “cut” as it has this repetition that is expected in a recreation. There are these elements that do feel like a documentary film with the usage of hand-held cameras as well as scenes that feel like a flashback or something that blurs the line of reality and fiction. The film’s final moments return to this narrative of Hossein pursuing Tahereh despite the fact that he’s illiterate and doesn’t have a home yet wants to be there for her. The final scenes don’t just play into that story but also the location with the director looking on from afar as if the fourth wall is starting to break as it is this ambiguous moment in this singular final wide shot. Overall, Kiarostami crafts an astonishing and evocative film about an actor trying to woo his co-star on a film set in Koker.

Cinematographers Hossein Jafarian and Farhad Saba do amazing work with the film’s cinematography in capturing many of the natural lighting as the entire film is shot on the day to capture its sunny look and the vibrant green colors of the olive trees. Sound editor Changiz Sayad does brilliant work with the film’s sound in capturing many of the natural elements as well as some of the music that is played that includes the film’s music by Amir Farshid Rahimian and Chema Rosas that is a largely a traditional Iranian folk sound with the only non-diegetic music piece played is a classical cut by Domenico Cimarosa.

The film’s wonderful cast feature some notable small roles and appearances from Ahmad and Babek Ahmadpour as themselves helping out the film crew, Kheda Barech Defai as the school teacher from Where is the Friend’s House? as someone that Mrs. Shiva picks up early in the film, Hocine Redai as a young woman the director wants for the film, Mahbandou Darabai as Tahereh’s grandmother, Zarifeh Shiva as the filmmaker’s assistant Mrs. Shiva, Farhad Kheradmand as himself reprising the role he was playing in Life, and Nothing More…, and Mohammed Ali Keshavarz in a superb role as the filmmaker who observes everything and everyone around him. Finally, there’s the duo of Hossein Rezai and Tahereh Ladanian in incredible performances in their respective roles as Hossein and Tahereh as actors who are hired for the scene with the former as a stone-mason trying to woo the latter as they bring a realism to their performances as well as what they’re asked to do.

Through the Olive Trees is a magnificent film from Abbas Kiarostami. Featuring a great cast, a unique blur of reality and fiction, its gorgeous locations, and its study of humanity through filmmaking. It’s a somber yet engrossing film about the process of filmmaking as well as a young man trying to pursue a young woman in an attempt to make a better future for both of them. In the end, Through the Olive Trees is an outstanding film Abbas Kiarostami.

Abbas Kiarostami Films: (The Experience) – The Traveler (1974 film) - (A Wedding) – The Report (1977 film) = (First Case, Second Case) – (Fellow Citizens) – (First Graders) – Where is the Friend's House? - Homework (1989 film) – Close-Up - Life, and Nothing More... - Taste of Cherry - (The Wind Will Carry Us) – (ABC Africa) – (Ten (2002 film)) – (Five (2003 film)) – (10 on Ten) – (Shirin) – Certified Copy - Like Someone in Love - 24 Frames

© thevoid99 2020

2020 Blind Spot Series: Life, and Nothing More...

 

Written, directed, and co-edited by Abbas Kiarostami, Life, and Nothing More… is the story of a filmmaker and his son traveling through Iran following the 1990 Earthquake as they also venture into Koker to find the whereabouts of the people who appeared in Kiarostami’s film Where is the Friend’s House? The film is a mixture of fiction and documentary as well as the second part of a trilogy of films based and set in the Koker villages in rural Iran as a man tries to find out what happened to the people who lived through the devastating earthquake. Starring Farhad Kheradmand, Pouyar Payvar, and Hossein Rezai. Life, and Nothing More… is a rapturous film from Abbas Kiarostami.

Set in the aftermath of the 1990 earthquake in the Manjil-Rudbar area of northern Iran, the film is about a filmmaker and his son who both try to go to Koker to find the lead actor from the film Where is the Friend’s House? and see if he’s alive. It’s a film with a simple premise yet it blurs the lines between reality and fiction as the father and son are portrayed by non-actors yet many of the things they encounter and the people they meet are all real people who all survived the earthquake. Even as they would meet a few of the actors who were in that film and see how they dealt with what happened to them and what they gained and lost from this devastating event.

Abbas Kiarostami’s direction is largely straightforward as it is presented as if it was a documentary film. Though some of its narrative is fictional, much of what Kiarostami is presenting are real life events happening on film as if it’s all being documented as it is shot on the locations of where the earthquake is including the small village of Koker and nearby areas. The usage of the wide and medium shots do gaze into these various locations including the zig-zag road on the hill as well as these locations that play into this beautiful landscape that is ravaged by this horrific earthquake. Throughout the course of the film, Kiarostami has the filmmaker and his son talk to various people as they discuss what they lost and such but also some unique perspective on how life works and how to move on.

Editing the film with sound editor Changiz Sayad, Kiarostami would keep much of the editing straightforward with some long shots gazing towards certain locations or having the camera be shot from the point of view of the car the filmmaker’s driving whether it’s on a narrow mountain road or in a small area. With sound recorders Hassan Zahedi and Behrouz Abedini capturing a lot of the natural sounds that Sayad would editor into some collages as it add to the tense atmosphere of the film as well as in some of the quieter moments such as the filmmaker finding a baby in the woods crying or the filmmaker’s son having a chat with an actor from Where is the Friend’s House? about who will win the 1990 FIFA World Cup. There are also these moments that showcase the human spirit where all of these people come together to help one another despite losing their homes as they would all watch a World Cup game. The film’s ending is about the filmmaker focusing on his quest to find the lead actors from that film but also to see what people had to endure in the aftermath of this catastrophic event as they all had to go on despite what they had lost. Overall, Kiarostami crafts an evocative and ravishing film about a filmmaker and his son traveling to Koker to find a couple of actors in the aftermath of the Manjil-Rudbar earthquake of 1990.

Cinematographer Homayoun Payvar does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography as it is largely straightforward to maintain a somewhat-documentary look yet it captures many of the film’s locations with such beauty that is just astonishing to watch. Costume designer Hassan Zahidi does nice work with the clothes that the filmmaker and his son wear as well as a newlywed that the filmmaker meets. The only piece of music that appears in the film is a classical piece by Antonio Vivaldi that pops up every now and then throughout the film. The film’s cast that largely features non-professional actors that include Hossein Rezai as the newlywed man and Mohammed Reza Parveneh as one of the young actors from Where is the Friend’s House? The performances of Farhad Kheradmand and Pouya Payvar in their respective roles as the filmmaker and his son are amazing for expressing a sense of naturalism into their performances as well as providing that air of humanity that the film needs.

Life, and Nothing More… is a spectacular film from Abbas Kiarostami. Featuring gorgeous visuals, a fascinating mixture of reality and fiction, and its compelling study of humanity in the wake of a tragic and catastrophic event. The film is a unique treasure in how it explores a couple of people traveling to Koker and watch the devastation of this earthquake and how people continue to live. In the end, Life, and Nothing More… is a tremendous film from Abbas Kiarostami.

Abbas Kiarostami Films: (The Experience) – The Traveler (1974 film) - (A Wedding) – The Report (1977 film) - (First Case, Second Case) – (Fellow Citizens) – (First Graders) – Where is the Friend's House? - Homework (1989 film) – Close-Up - Through the Olive Trees – Taste of Cherry - (The Wind Will Carry Us) – (ABC Africa) – (Ten (2002 film)) – (Five (2003 film)) – (10 on Ten) – (Shirin) – Certfied Copy - Like Someone in Love - 24 Frames

© thevoid99 2020

2020 Blind Spot Series: Where is the Friend's House?

 

Written, directed, and edited by Abbas Kiarostami, Where is the Friend’s House? is the story of a schoolboy who tries to return a classmate’s notebook at a nearby village in the hopes that the classmate doesn’t get expelled from school. The film is the first of a trilogy of films set in the rural village of Koker, Iran as it plays into a boy trying to do what is right amidst the pressure of doing well in school. Starring Babak Ahmadpour, Ahmed Ahmadpour, Kheda Barech Defai, Iran Outari, Ait Ansari, and Biman Mouafi. Where is the Friend’s House? is a touching and somber film from Abbas Kiarostami.

The film is the simple story of an eight-year old boy who learned that he has a notebook that belongs to his classmate, who is already in trouble with a threat of expulsion, as he decides to go to a nearby village to return it only to try and find his whereabouts. It’s a film that isn’t afraid to play into its simplicity as it has someone wanting to try and do the right thing and not see his classmate be expelled and get into serious trouble. There’s not a lot of plot that goes on in Abbas Kiarostami’s script as it’s more about a boy trying to do what is right as he ventures from his home village of Koker to a nearby village over the hill. In this nearby village, he asks neighbors and such while trying also to get bread for his family and cigarettes for his grandfather who watches him go up and down the hill.

Kiarostami’s direction is understated for its approach to simplicity as it is shot on location in Koker as it is this wondrous location that is a key part of the story. The image of the hill and its wide shot display the journey that Ahmed (Babak Ahmadpour) has to endure going up and down this zig-zag roadway. Kiarostami’s usage of wide and medium shots do give scope to these locations that include wandering camera shots of Ahmed running through a small forest and then running up a smaller hill of tombstones. The medium shots play more into the location of the village nearby Koker as it is largely a stony village where Ahmed is trying to find the right house despite some of the vague descriptions the locals have told him. Kiarostami’s close-ups add to the situation that Ahmed is in as he is desperate to find the home of his classmate Mohamed Reza Nematzadeh (Ahmed Ahmadpour) who is already in trouble for not being able to do his work or turn in his notebook.

Also serving as the film’s editor, Kiarostami doesn’t aim for anything stylish in the visuals or in the editing but rather just keep things simple. Notably in the editing as Kiarostami knows when to cut for an emotional reaction yet chooses to keep shots linger for a bit such as a conversation between Ahmed’s grandfather (Rafia Difai) and his friend (Ali Jamali) about discipline. It’s a theme that is at stake as Ahmed is someone that wants to do in school, do his homework, and help his family but doesn’t want Mohamed Reza to be expelled. Kiarostami would also have Ahmed meet an old man (Sadika Tohidi) who shows him the things he built while making claims that he knows where Mohamed Reza lives. There is something mystical in that scene as it takes place at night as the entire film takes place in the span of 24 hours as it opens and ends with the scene in the classroom as its ending is more about what Ahmed does than the fate of Mohamed Reza. Overall, Kiarostami crafts a touching and somber film about a boy trying to return a classmate’s notebook in the hopes that the boy doesn’t get expelled from school.

Cinematographer Farhad Saba does brilliant work with the film’s photography as it is largely straightforward to play into the usage of available and natural light for the scenes in the day as well as some stylish lighting for a few scenes set at night. Production designer Reza Nami does excellent work with the look of the classroom as well as the home that Ahmed and his family live in. Costume designer Hassan Zahidi does nice work with the costumes as it is largely straightforward including the brown pants that Mohamed Reza wears which Ahmed sees thinking it’s his pants. Sound editor Changiz Sayad does superb work with the sound as it captures a lot of the natural sounds on location to maintain a raucous yet somber atmosphere. The film’s music by Amine Allah Hessine is amazing for its discordant and folk-driven string playing as it adds to the drama and suspense that occurs in the film.

The film’s wonderful cast feature some notable small roles from Iran Outari and Ayat Ansari as Ahmed’s parents, Biman Mouafi as a neighbor named Ali, Rafia Difai as Ahmed’s grandfather, Ali Jamali as the grandfather’s friend, and Sadika Tohidi as the Persian neighbor who used to create doors and such for people in his home village and at Koker. Kheda Barech Defai is terrific as the schoolteacher as someone who might seem like a stern disciplinarian but is also someone who tells his students about what they have to face as he is also sympathetic to what they do at home. Ahmed Ahmedpour is excellent as Mohamed Reza Nematzadeh as a young boy who has already gotten in trouble for not doing his homework and is facing the threat of expulsion if he doesn’t do his homework. Finally, there’s Babek Ahmedpour in a brilliant performance as Ahmed as a young boy who mistakenly took his classmate’s notebook and wants to return it as there is an air of realism in his performance to play into the plight he’s in and the noble thing he is trying to do for his classmate.

Where is the Friend’s House? is a tremendous film from Abbas Kiarostami. Featuring its understated yet entrancing visuals, a simplistic story, and its approach to realism in an area not seen often in films. It is definitely a touching yet engrossing film that isn’t afraid to be simple as well as tell a story of a boy just wanting to help a classmate. In the end, Where is the Friend’s House? is a magnificent film from Abbas Kiarostami.

Abbas Kiarostami Films: (The Experience) – The Traveler (1974 film) - (A Wedding) – The Report (1977 film) - (First Case, Second Case) – (Fellow Citizens) – (First Graders) – Homework (1989 film) – Close-Up - Life, and Nothing More… – Through the Olive Trees – Taste of Cherry - (The Wind Will Carry Us) – (ABC Africa) – (Ten (2002 film)) – (Five (2003 film)) – (10 on Ten) – (Shirin) – Certified Copy - Like Someone in Love - 24 Frames

© thevoid99 2020

Like Someone in Love

Written and directed by Abbas Kiarostami, Like Someone in Love is the story of a sociology student who works as a part-time prostitute where she befriends an elderly client who is more interested in helping her rather than have sex with her. The film is a simple tale of a growing bond between a young woman and an old man as they deal with life as well as the choices they make. Starring Rin Takanashi, Tadashi Okuno, and Ryo Kase. Like Someone in Love is a rapturous and entrancing film from Abbas Kiarostami.

Told in the span of nearly a day in Tokyo, the film revolves around a student who works part-time as a call girl where she visits an elderly client who would treat her kindly as she is going through personal issues relating to her fiance`. It’s a film that is a very simple story about a young woman meeting with an old man as she is reluctant to do a job as she is also dealing with a lot of things yet is amazed by this old man’s kindness and generosity. Abbas Kiarostami’s screenplay doesn’t rely very much on plot but rather the development of a growing friendship between this old professor and this young woman as they spend a day together. Especially as the old man Takashi (Tadashi Okuno) is helping out the young woman Akiko (Rin Takanashi) who is a sociology student and hasn’t told her fiance Noriaki that she works as a call girl as he is jealous as well as very possessive.

Kiarostami’s direction is very ravishing for not just its simplicity but also in creating something that is just filled with so much in the frame. The opening sequence inside a restaurant has Kiarostami having Akiko talking but she’s not in the frame as if it’s someone else there and then it cuts to a reverse shot of her talking to a friend. Much of it has Kiarostami employ not just long takes but also compositions that are simple with its medium shots and close-ups as well as these gorgeous shots of a car moving as its windows reflect everything it shows. The scenes between Takashi and Akiko such as their first meeting is one that is very light-hearted as well as some of the scenes in the car as it would include this intimate yet fascinating conversation between Takashi and Noriaki.

Kiarostami’s approach to framing does have this air of beauty in the image as well as how he positions the camera into the exterior of Takashi’s home and how it is shot in the inside. Even as it help create that restrained sense of drama as it helps build this fascinating relationship between Takashi and Akiko. The direction also maintains that sense of quietness where it just captures that air of realism but also something unexpected which does play into the drama. Overall, Kiarostami creates a touching yet riveting film about a call-girl befriending an elderly professor.

Cinematographer Katsumi Yanagijima does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography to capture the nighttime beauty of the exteriors in Tokyo as well as some of the scenes set in the day as it maintains something that is natural. Editor Barman Kiarostami does excellent work with the film‘s editing as it is very straightforward with a few rhythmic cuts to play into some of the drama. Sound editor Nobuyuki Kikuchi and sound designer Mohamadreza Delpak do fantastic work with the sound in capturing the air of realism in the way cars sound as well as what goes on in and out of a room or in a location.

The casting by Tsuyoshi Sugino is great as it features some notable small roles from Kaneko Kubota as Akiko’s grandmother, Koichi Ohori as the cab driver, Mihiko Suzuki as Takashi’s neighbor, Reiko Mori as a friend/fellow call-girl of Akiko, Hiroyuki Kishi as a former student of Takashi, and Denden as an old friend of Takashi who is also a pimp of sorts for Akiko. Ryo Kase is amazing as Akiko’s fiance Noriaki as this very obsessive man who wonders what is Akiko is doing as he continuously confronts her while getting some advice from Takashi thinking he’s Akiko’s grandfather. Tadashi Okuno is incredible as Takashi as a former college professor who is intrigued by Akiko as well as being someone that is willing to help her as he displays that great sense of kindness. Finally, there’s Rin Takanashi in a remarkable performance as Akiko as this young sociology student who is trying to make money to cover her student debts while lamenting over her grandmother and issues with Noriaki.

The 2014 Region 1/Region A dual-format DVD/Blu-Ray release from the Criterion Collection presents the film in its original 1:66:1 aspect ratio 3.0 surround DTS-HD master audio soundtrack for the Blu-Ray release as it’s all supervised by Abbas Kiarostami. The special features on both discs feature the film’s theatrical trailer as well as a forty-seven minute making-of documentary on the film. The documentary showcases Kiarostami’s approach to filmmaking and his views on storytelling as well as emphasizing more on rehearsal rather than shoot in the moment. The film also features interviews with Kiarostami and some crew members as well as how Kiarostami is able to direct the actors despite the fact that he doesn’t speak Japanese as he is aided by a translator. It’s a fascinating documentary short that explores what Kiarostami was doing as well as why he prefers digital over 35mm film.

The DVD/Blu-Ray set also features a booklet that includes an essay by film professor Nico Baumbach (brother of filmmaker Noah Baumbach) entitled On Likeness. The essay discusses several of Kiarostami’s motifs as a filmmaker as well as some of themes he had explored with his other films. Baumbach also talks about some of the plot elements in the film as well as some of the moral themes that Kiarostami would explore. Baumbach also suggests a lot of interpretations into the story as well as it’s ending as it is one of the most shocking. It’s a fascinating read that serves as a great accompaniment to the DVD/Blu-Ray set.

Like Someone in Love is an incredible film from Abbas Kiarostami. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous images, and a restrained yet intoxicating exploration of love and kindness. It’s a film that doesn’t play by the rules while managing to be a whole lot more than what it’s simple plot suggests making it a fitting penultimate film from Kiarostami. In the end, Like Someone in Love is a phenomenal film from Abbas Kiarostami.

Abbas Kiarostami Films: (The Experience) - The Traveler (1974 film) - (A Wedding Suit) - Report (1977 film) - (First Case, Second Case) - (Fellow Citizens) - (First Graders) - Where is the Friend’s House? - Homework (1989 film) - Close-Up - Life and Nothing More… - Through the Olive Trees - Taste of Cherry - (The Wind Will Carry Us) - (ABC Africa) - (Ten) - (Five) - (10 on Ten) - (Shirin) - Certified Copy - 24 Frames

© thevoid99 2016

The Report (1977 film)

Written and directed by Abbas Kiarostami, The Report is the story about a Ministry of Finance civil servant being accused of taking bribes as he’s also dealing with a crumbling marriage. Starring Shoreh Aghdashloo, Kurosh Afsharpanah, Mehdi Montazar, Mostafa Tari, and Hasem Arkan. The Report is a captivating drama from Abbas Kiarostami.

The film is a simple story about a civil servant working for Iran’s Ministry of Finance as he spends a lot of his time doing work until he’s been accused of taking bribes where he’s suspended. Adding to his problem is a crumbling marriage as he often spend his time socializing with friends as she’s stuck at home while their rent is overdue and couldn’t get money for car repairs. Eventually, something has to give as the man is forced to face realities of his world and the issues in his marriage. While there’s not much plot to the story, Abbas Kiarostami plays into a man trying to do good but is often quite selfish at times while lets his pride get in the way of things. Even as he creates chaos in both his professional and personal life where the latter becomes far more troubling when his wife threatens to leave him and taking their baby with her.

Kiarostami’s direction is quite simple but also understated in the way he explores the drama. While he doesn’t go for a lot of stylish camera movements nor create scenes that is driven by dialogue. He does manage to create something where it is about a man striving to do right though he would often make bad decisions that would impact both his life and his job. Going for that realistic visual style that recalls elements of cinema verite, Kiarostami creates scenes that do play a sense of realism in the drama though there are moments where nothing happens and drags the film a bit. Still, there is that sense of emotional impact in the third act when it plays to a dramatic moment that finally unveils what this man is dealing with and the actions for some of his irresponsibility. Overall, Kiarostami creates an engaging drama that explores a man’s pride and the trouble that he endures.

Cinematographer Ali Reza Zarrindast does nice work with the film‘s cinematography where it plays into a very realistic look where it‘s shot on location in Iran while using low-key lights for the some of interior and exterior settings at night. Editor Mahtalat Mirfenderski does terrific work with the editing as it‘s mostly straightforward with a few rhythmic cuts to intensify the drama. Set designer Ahmad Mirshekan does wonderful work with the look of the apartment of the man and his wife as well as the office building he works at. Sound engineer Yousef Shahab does superb work with the sound to capture everything on location including the intimate moments at home.

The film’s cast includes some remarkable performances from Mehdi Montazar and Mostafa Tari as a couple of co-workers in the building and Hasem Arkan as a man who made claims about the bribery. Kurosh Afsharpanah is excellent as Mahmad Firuzkui as a man who gets in trouble over his work as he is dealing with the turmoil in his life including his troubled marriage. Finally, there’s Shoreh Aghdashloo in a brilliant performance as Mahmad’s wife as a woman who feels constrained at home as she becomes upset over his irresponsibility as well as some of the trouble he endures that would lead her to make some drastic decisions.

The Report is a stellar film from Abbas Kiarostami that features a superb performance from Shoreh Aghdashloo. While it’s a very intriguing film that explores life before the 1979 Iranian Revolution as well as some of the drama that a man goes through. It’s also a film that plays into Kiarostami’s fascination with life itself as well as a man trying to overcome the difficulties of life. In the end, The Report is a very good film from Abbas Kiarostami.

Abbas Kiarostami Films: (The Experience) - The Traveler - (A Wedding Suit) - (First Case, Second Case) - (Fellow Citizens) - (First Graders) - Where is the Friend’s House? - Homework (1989 film) - Close-Up - Life and Nothing More… - Through the Olive Trees - Taste of Cherry - (The Wind Will Carry Us) - (ABC Africa) - (Ten) - (Five) - (10 on Ten) - (Shirin) - Certified Copy - Like Someone in Love - 24 Frames

© thevoid99 2013

2013 Cannes Marathon: Certified Copy

(Winner of the Best Actress Prize to Juliette Binoche at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival)

Written and directed by Abbas Kiarostami, Certified Copy is the story about a British writer and a French antiques dealer who meet in Tuscany as they get to know each other while talking about the concept of authenticity. The film is an exploration into what is real as well as the concept of art as it is told by led by two people in the course of a day. Starring Juliette Binoche and William Shimmel. Certified Copy is a rapturous yet provocative film from Abbas Kiarostami.

The film is a very simple story about a writer (William Shimmel) who meets an antiques dealer (Juliette Binoche) where they spend the afternoon in Tuscany talking about the idea of authenticity in not just art but in humanity and such. During the duration of the afternoon, their discussions become more passionate to the point that it raises questions about everything including themselves as the woman is also the mother of a nine-year old. They would encounter various people along the way including young couples getting married as their discussion gets more heated about the idea of romance. It’s all part of a world in which Abbas Kiarostami questions the idea of authenticity in not just art but also humanity and the idea of romance.

While there isn’t much of a script that Kiarostami has created, it does raise a lot of questions into these ideas of what is real and what is forgery where he asks about these two people. Do they know each other or are they attracted to each other as both of them couldn’t deal with the reality about themselves? They are the many questions Kiarostami delves into while the writer has written a book about the idea that there might not be the idea of originality once it gets re-printed and forged. Even in the idea of humanity where the writer thinks that marriage is destined to fail though the antiques dealer disagrees thinking there could be hope.

Kiarostami’s direction is quite engaging in its simplicity as he doesn’t really do a lot of visual trickery with the exception of a shot of the two in a car while the front window is reflecting these gorgeous images of the buildings. Still, Kiarostami maintains something that is still engrossing about the conversations that are unfolding between two people and some of the people they encounter as he does create some beautiful compositions where he also puts something in the background to add a sense of interest. Even in the way he places the actors in a frame while having them in a certain location in Tuscany that adds something that is quite intoxicating to watch. The location itself is a character of the film where it plays to that sense of romance that is around the characters but it also plays into the idea that it could be a fantasy or a reality the characters don’t want to face. Overall, Kiarostami creates a very delightful and captivating film about authenticity in art and humanity.

Cinematographer Luca Bigazzi does excellent work with the film‘s very evocative cinematography to capture the beauty of the Tuscan fields and its small towns as well as some nice low-key lighting schemes for some of the film‘s interiors. Editor Bahman Kiarostami does wonderful work with the editing as it doesn‘t play into any particular style while keeping things low-key for some of its long takes while using a few rhythmic cuts to capture the drama. Production designers Giancarlo Basili and Ludovica Ferrario do nice work with the set pieces from some of the cafes the characters attend to the wedding halls they encounter. The sound work of Olivier Hespel and Dominique Vieillard is terrific for the sound work where it has this nice layer of being naturalistic but also with the mixing to combine these layers of effects that is happening in the locations including the music that’s played in the background.

The film’s cast largely consists of some small performances that includes Adrian Moore as the woman’s son, Gianna Giachetti as a café owner the antiques dealer talks to, Filippo Troiano and Manuela Balsimelli as the marrying couple the characters meet, and Agathe Natanson and famed screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere as an old couple the main characters meet at the town square. William Shimmel is amazing as the writer as a man who tries to explain his thoughts of authenticity as well as humanity itself as it’s quite remarkable to watch him act with someone as revered as his co-star Juliette Binoche. Binoche’s performance is definitely full of radiance and energy as a woman who has a very keen opinion on art as well as life as she is also enchanted by what she sees while dealing with her own personal drama surrounding her son as well as the fact that his father isn’t around much as it’s Binoche at her most exquisite.


***Additional DVD Content Written on 6/1/13-6/5/13***

The 2-disc (1-disc Blu-Ray) Region 1 DVD from the Criterion Collection presents in its 1:85:1 theatrical aspect ratio in the widescreen format with 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound in English, French, and Italian with English subtitles all approved by its filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami. The first disc of the DVD includes the film and its trailer. The second disc of the DVD includes various special features relating to the film and its creator.

The first big special feature is Kiarostami’s 1977 film The Report which bears similar themes to Certified Copy in its drama where it is presented in an old analog master made from a subtitled theatrical print which had been damaged due to heavy use while Kiarostami explained that the original negative was destroyed during the Islamic Revolution. It’s a very engaging film that explores a man dealing with his own issues in his life from being accused of bribery to a breakdown in his marriage as the film features an early appearance from Iranian actress Shoreh Aghdashloo.

The 16-minute interview with Abbas Kiarostami has the filmmaker talking about the film and why it took him a long time to make the film. He talked about a lot of things in the film that were based on personal experiences as well as the desire to work with Juliette Binoche as the two were fans of each other’s work and he invited her to Tehran and she made a cameo in his 2008 film Shirin. Kiarostami also talked about directing William Shimmel and trying to get him comfortable in playing the part while revealing some of the similarities between this film and his 1977 film The Report.

The 52-minute making-of documentary Let’s See “Copia conforme” is an Italian-produced documentary directed by Irene Bufo. The documentary explores not just Kiarostami’s process as a filmmaker but also how his approach to filmmaking was so different for the Italian crew he was working with. Notably as cinematographer Luca Bigazzi reveals a lot about Kiarostami’s approach where the differences between his approach and the usual process he’s done are huge since Kiarostami keep things going while trying to find the right notes in a performance. Juliette Binoche and William Shimmel also delve into Kiarostami’s approach with actors where Binoche reveals into why she was approached to do this film as he is a fan of her work and vice versa while Shimmel reveals the similarities of acting in front of a camera and on stage as an opera singer. It’s a very intriguing short documentary that reveals how Kiarostami stages thing and the relaxed approach he brings to the making of the film.

The DVD also comes with a booklet that features an essay entitled At Home and Abroad by New York-based film critic Godfrey Cheshire. Cheshire’s essay reveals the genesis of how Kiarostami came up with the story and the timing of when he made the film around the same time there was an uproar over the Iranian election. Cheshire also talks about the film’s plot in general and how it breaks conventions while remaining accessible as he points out Robert Rossellini’s Voyage to Italy and Kiarostami’s 1977 film The Report as examples of what Kiarostami was doing. Especially the latter as it would return Kiarostami to explore the world of relationships as he had been unable to do so in Iran as it’s a wonderful essay from Cheshire.

***End of DVD Tidbits***

Certified Copy is a tremendous film from Abbas Kiarostami that features brilliant performances from Juliette Binoche and William Shimmel. The film isn’t just one of the most intriguing films about art and life but also the idea about the ideas of authenticity. It’s also one of Kiarostami’s more accessible features where he can bring something different in a world outside of Iran but still be engaging over what he presents and the questions he wants to ask. In the end, Certified Copy is an incredible film from Abbas Kiarostami.

Abbas Kiarostami Films: (The Experience) - The Traveler - (A Wedding Suit) - The Report - (First Case, Second Case) - (Fellow Citizens) - (First Graders) - Where is the Friend’s House? - Homework (1989 film) - Close-Up - Life and Nothing More… - Through the Olive Trees - Taste of Cherry - (The Wind Will Carry Us) - (ABC Africa) - (Ten) - (Five) - (10 on Ten) - (Shirin) - Like Someone in Love - 24 Frames

© thevoid99 2013

Close-Up

Written, edited, and directed by Abbas Kiarostami, Nema Ye Nazdik (Close-Up) is the story about a man who pretends to be a filmmaker only to cause trouble as he involves a family to be part of his scheme. The film is an exploration into identity as well as existence as it is presented in a mixture of documentary and narrative filmmaking. Starring Hossein Sabzian and Mohsen Makhmalbaf. The result is an intriguing yet very provocative film about identity and the love for art.

The film is based on this real-life incident in which Hossein Sabzian pretends to be revered Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf in his hopes to become a filmmaker by convincing a rich Iranian family that he is Makhmalbaf. He is eventually caught by a journalist where Sabzian goes to trial to reveal why he did this where a lot of questions are raised about Sabzian’s intentions. Yet, what Sabzian does reveal in the course of this film showcase a world in which how cinema can impact someone’s life and maybe have this individual really aspire to do something though he didn’t intend to manipulate anyone. Even as it is presented by filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami as a mixture of documentary and dramatic re-creations as the people involved in this incident replay their roles for this film.

While there isn’t much of a script as it allows many of the film’s participants including Kiarostami to essentially act out in the dramatic re-creations. It is about the idea of how art can drive a man to do such a thing in order to become a filmmaker. Sabzian is revealed to be a big fan of Makhmalbaf’s work as well as the work of Kiarostami who is often seen behind the camera talking to Sabzian in a few scenes while filming the actual trial in which Sabzian is the subject of this incident. For many of the film’s dramatic re-creations including the opening scene of this journalist arriving on a taxi with two soldiers and a cab driver to the home of the family in order to expose Sabzian. Kiarostami presents a lot of these dramatic re-creations in a film stock that is clear and pristine to establish that this is a dramatization of these events though it does still blur the idea of fiction and reality.

For the scenes at the trial, Kiarostami and cinematographer Ali-Reza Zarrindast go for a more grainy film stock to capture the trial where it is all happening just as it is. It has Kiarostami going for a documentary approach to capture the events of the trial where he uses a lot of close-ups to capture Sabzian’s confession to the court. In the dramatic scenes, there is that element of cinema verite as well as the idea of the fourth wall breaking where Kiarostami and his crew are trying to capture something that is happening as Kiarostami creates these images that are really exotic and full of life. Notably in the film’s final moments where the real Mohsen Makhmalbaf appears as Kiarostami is trying to capture this moment as he, Zarrindast and his sound men in Ahmad Asgari and Mahammad Haghighi are intent on capturing it on film. Yet, there is something wrong with the boom mic as it plays to that blur of reality and fiction.

With Kiarostami creating a film that is about identity and how art can play into a man’s existence, he takes this mixture of fiction and documentary into telling a story about why this man did such a thing? There are no real answers but more revelations into the impact of art. Everyone wants to create something that can be meaningful including the people in this film as they all give very remarkable performances whether they’re just acting or being themselves. Even if it’s through some effective yet rhythmic editing, Kiarostami does keep things simple to capture some idea of reality. While there isn’t a traditional score that appears for most of the film except in the end as it’s a music piece from Kambiz Roushanavan that is this serene yet melancholic violin cut from Kiarostami’s The Traveler. It is still an effective moment that plays to everything that Sabzian goes through as the overall result is a fascinating and captivating film about art and the effects it has on humanity.

The 2-disc (1 disc Blu-ray) Region 1 DVD presents the film in a newly restored, high-definition digital transfer in its 1:33:1 theatrical aspect ratio with new and improved English subtitles as well as Dolby Digital Mono for the film. The first disc of the DVD presents the film as well as two special features relating to the film. The first of which is an audio commentary track by American film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum and Mehrnaz Saeed-Vafa as they’re both authors on a book about Kiarostami. Rosenbaum and Saeed-Vafa both reveal the importance of the film’s impact on not just for Kiarostami but also for Iranian cinema which was coming out of the Iranian Revolution and the Iraq-Iran war of the 1980s.

Saeed-Vafa reveals a lot about Kiarostami’s background in Iran as well as a lot of insight into the history of Iranian cinema before the Iranian Revolution of the late 70s and its aftermath. Notably as both Kiarostami and Mohsen Makhmalbaf were the premier filmmakers of that time. There was a mutual respect between the two filmmakers but after this film, they became bitter rivals. Rosenbaum talks about Kiarostami’s impact outside of Iran as well as how he was able to infuse ideas of Italian neo-realism into his work but make it his own. There are also discussions about his films in the commentary as well as some humorous anecdotes about the film itself as it’s a very enjoyable commentary from Saeed-Vafa and Rosenbaum.

The second big special feature in the first disc is Kiarostami’s first full-length feature film in The Traveler. It is a mesmerizing story about a boy’s desire to go to a football game in Tehran as he schemes friends and family in order to make the trip from his small town to Tehran. Yet, he learns about the meaning of right and wrong as it is one of Kiarostami’s finest films as it features elements of French New Wave in Kiarostami’s presentation for the film.

From the second disc of the DVD, there’s a 45-minute documentary called “Close-up” Long Shot about Hossein Sabzian. The documentary is shot six years after the film in which friends and family talk about Sabzian and the impact the film had on him. Sabzian himself also talks where he reveals his love for cinema and his desire to enter the world of film. It’s a very compelling documentary that explore a man’s passion for cinema and how much trouble it got him dating back to childhood and how it also ruined him as an adult.

The 27-and-a-half minute interview with Kiarostami shot in 2009 at the Marrakech Film Festival is about the filmmaker talking about the film and how it impacted his career. Kiarostami reveals that the film was definitely a major change in his career in not just how he would make films but also the impact it would have in his career. He also talks about Hossein Sabzian and admits, there were some troubles in the production though Sabzian became sort of famous after the film. Yet, Kiarostami wanted to make a follow-up to the film with Sabzian but Sabzian’s death in 2006 forced Kiarostami to scrap the idea. It’s an intriguing interview about the film and the filmmaker himself who reveals a lot about some of the secrets of the film.

The 31-minute A Walk with Kiarostami by Iranian film professor Jamsheed Akrami is a documentary shot in 2001 where Kiarostami is attending a film festival in Ireland. Shot in two days, Kiarostami talks about his views on the world and cinema while reveling in some of the beauty of Ireland. It’s a very fascinating short that has Kiarostami taking photos of a river while walking on a trail with Akrami where Kiarostami also provides some funny ideas about life itself.

The DVD also includes a booklet that features an essay by film critic Godfrey Cheshire entitled Prison and Escape. Cheshire’s essay revels in the film’s importance in not just for Iranian cinema and for Abbas Kiarostami but also in how it showcased a man whose crime was just pretending to be someone in order to make a film. Cheshire notes that the film’s importance for Iran in this post-Ayatollah Khomeini period is that it showed Iran from a very different light that was new to Western audiences. Since this film blurred fiction and reality, it was something new and different which brought Kiarostami lots of international attention and help plant the seeds for a new wave of Iranian cinema that was to emerge in the mid-1990s. It’s a terrific essay that serves as a great accompaniment to a brilliant DVD release.

Nema Ye Nazdik is an extraordinary film from Abbas Kiarostami about a man’s devotion to cinema and the action that he creates that nearly gets him in trouble. It’s a film that is truly unlike anything as it raises lots of questions about identity and existence as well as passion for something like cinema. For those who are new to Kiarostami, this film is a great introduction to the filmmaker. In the end, Nema Ye Nazdik is a marvelous film from Abbas Kiarostami.

Abbas Kiarostami Films: (The Experience) - The Traveler - (A Wedding Suit) - The Report - (First Case, Second Case) - (Fellow Citizens) - (First Graders) - Where is the Friend’s House? - Homework (1989 film) - Life and Nothing More… - Through the Olive Trees - Taste of Cherry - (The Wind Will Carry Us) - (ABC Africa) - (Ten) - (Five) - (10 on Ten) - (Shirin) - Certified Copy - Like Someone in Love - 24 Frames

© thevoid99 2013

The Traveler (1974 film)

Written, directed, and edited by Abbas Kiarostami, Mosafer (The Traveler) is the story of a boy who is trying to go see an important football game in Tehran as he tries to scheme his way to go see the game. The film is an exploration into a youth’s desire to see a football game in Tehran as he does whatever he can to raise money to get there. Even if he has to steal from his mother and do whatever just to go to the game. The result is a fascinating film from Abbas Kiarostami.

In Iran, football is a big deal as it revolves around this young boy named Qassem (Hassan Darabi) who is yearning to go to this important game. Yet, a round bus trip to Tehran would cost him 20 tomans while he has to get an additional ten for a cab ride as well as to get a ticket to the game. With the help of his friend Akbar (Masud Zandbegleh), Qassem does whatever it takes to get to the game but it comes a very big price. What Abbas Kiarostami reveals is the fallacy of youth in this young boy whose obsession for football as he has parents who want him to study and actually have a future. Yet the boy just simply refuses in the pursuit of going to this game as he tricks fellow classmates into giving him money by pretending he will take a photo of them or sell his football nets to a rival team. The boy does reach his goal yet the big question is that was it worth it? Even as he goes into a city he doesn’t know about and be entranced by what that world has to offer.

Kiarostami’s direction definitely plays to that approach of cinema verite as he shoots everything on location while he also harkens to the more fluid style of the films of the French New Wave. Notably as there’s some similarities between Qassem and the Antoine Doinel character that Francois Truffaut made famous in The 400 Blows. Yet, Kiarostami’s approach is much more straightforward not just in its presentation through the direction and editing but also in emphasizing this boy coming of age into his actions.

There are some amazing compositions as it is presented through Firooz Malekzadeh’s beautiful black-and-white photography. Notably in the scenes in Tehran where Qassem wanders around as Kiarostami uses the music of Kambiz Roushanavan to play out the boy’s sense of excitement as well as his melancholy where serene strings are used for those moments. Along with the naturalistic performances of the cast including Hassan Darabi as Qassem, Kiarostami creates a very engaging yet touching film about a boy’s selfish pursuits and the price he paid for this pursuit.

Mosafer is an excellent film from Abbas Kiarostami that explores the world of youth and their understanding into what is right and wrong. The film is definitely one of Kiarostami’s finest gems as well as a film that definitely has a lot to say about what kids will do for selfish reasons. It’s a film that doesn’t just appeal to art house audiences but it’s also very accessible as it is a film that kids should see. In the end, Mosafer is a wonderful film from Abbas Kiarostami.

Abbas Kiarostami Films: (The Experience) - (A Wedding Suit) - The Report - (First Case, Second Case) - (Fellow Citizens) - (First Graders) - Where is the Friend’s House? - Homework (1989 film) - Close-Up - Life and Nothing More… - Through the Olive Trees - Taste of Cherry - (The Wind Will Carry Us) - (ABC Africa) - (Ten) - (Five) - (10 on Ten) - (Shirin) - Certified Copy - Like Someone in Love - 24 Frames

© thevoid99 2013

Taste of Cherry

Written, edited, and directed by Abbas Kiarostami, Taste of Cherry is the story of a middle-aged man who has a death wish as he goes on a search through Tehran for someone to bury him. The 1997 Palme D’or co-winner has Kiarostami going for a minimalist style in order to follow a man who is ready to die in his search to help reach death. Starring Homayon Ershadi, Abdolrahman Bagheri, Afshin Khorshid Bakhtiari, and Safar Ali Moradi. Taste of Cherry is an extraordinary film from Abbas Kiarostami.

Mr. Badii (Homayon Ershadi) is driving around Tehran looking for someone who is willing to bury him as he plans to kill himself. During his drive, he comes across a young yet shy Kurdish soldier (Safar Ali Moradi) who is set to take a brief leave from his training. The two converse about their experiences as soldiers as Mr. Badii takes him to the mountains where he explains to the young man what he wants to do. The soldier refuses as Mr. Badii continues to drive as he meets an Afghani security guard (Afshin Khorshid Bakhtiari) who is working as Badii learns that the guard has a friend (Mir Hossein Noori) who is visiting him working as a seminarist.

Badii takes the seminarist for a drive around the mountain as the two talk about what Badii wants to do with seminarist thinks about it. After driving around, an old taxidermist (Abdolrahman Bagheri) is picked up who learns about what Badii does as he tells a story about his own experiences. Badii becomes confused as he ponders what to do for what could be his last day.

The film’s plot about a man driving around Tehran and its mountains to find someone to bury him doesn’t seem like an interesting premise. Yet, Abbas Kiarostami manages to create a film where he follows this man during an entire day of what could be the last day of his life as he looks for someone to bury him after he dies. During this journey, he meets three different men along the way as each are disturbed by is request with all three having different reactions. Not surprisingly, the young Kurdish soldier is unable to do it though the seminarist and taxidermist that Mr. Badii meets both provide interesting responses. The seminarist, who is a religious man, goes into a bit of a debate about Mr. Badii’s intended actions while the taxidermist has a much broader view of things that only confuses Badii towards the end.

During the entirety of the story, there is nothing about Mr. Badii himself as the passengers he takes in wondering why does he want to kill himself? Yet, the answer is never revealed nor anything about his life as he offers a substantial amount of money for someone to do the job. Mr. Badii remains a mystery throughout the film as he is a man just seeking someone to give him a burial as he’s already dug a hole somewhere in the mountains. That’s all there is need to know as a back-story would end up either give the viewer something to feel as Kiarostami prefers to leave it wide open.

The lack of conventional script does allow Kiarostami to maintain a simple yet controlled approach to his direction in the way he follows Mr. Badii’s journey towards death. The film starts off with Badii driving around Tehran as he tries to find people where he comes across a few laborers and eventually to the young soldier. The direction is very intimate in some aspects since it is partially set inside Mr. Badii’s Range Rover for about a third of the film. Yet, a lot of it does take place at the mountains where Kiarostami always shoots in the same locations at times for Mr. Badii to take the same route while going into different routes throughout his adventure.

The minimalist approach to Kiarostami’s direction is definitely mesmerizing for the long-shots he creates for many of the film’s hilly countryside as there’s a beauty to it that is indescribable. The direction also has a cinema verite style that is realistic except that it doesn’t look rough and grainy nor is presented in a hand-held camera style. It’s very controlled as it’s shot on a tripod or a steadicam as Kiarostami lets everything plays out that includes a scene where Mr. Badii’s Range Rover is stuck as he quickly gets help to get out of the hole his car is in.

For a film of this style, one would expect the pacing to be slow but Kiarostami doesn’t do that as he knows that a style like this could be frustrating for viewers. While there’s a lot of small scenes where there’s a lot of unbroken takes and shots where it’s just a car driving while dialogue is heard. Kiarostami knows when to maintain a certain rhythm as he edits the film in a methodical yet leisured pace. The film’s ending does change things a bit where the fourth wall is broken while the look of it becomes very different. It comes across as abrupt but it emphasizes an act of subversion as Kiarostami prefers to leave things open. The overall film itself is truly engaging as Kiarostami creates what is truly a haunting yet hypnotic film.

Cinematographer Homayun Payvar does an amazing job with the film‘s gorgeous yet captivating photography. The look of the sunny yet autumn mountains during a late afternoon is truly exquisite as is Tehran itself as Pavar maintains the look throughout the entirety of the film including some wonderful nighttime scenes that adds to the eerie tone of the film. The sound design by Mohammed Reza Delpak is superb for the way sound is captured from the way the Range Rover is heard on the road to the cries of a dog near the site that Mr. Badii plans to die in. Deplak also keeps it realistic as there is no film score heard except for a song played on the radio and Louis Armstrong’s St. James Infirmary that’s played in the final credits of the film.

The casting is brilliant as it includes a notable performance from Afshin Khorshid Bakhtiari as a security guard that Mr. Badii briefly talks to as well as Mir Hossein Noori in an excellent role as a religious seminarist who is baffled by what Mr. Badii wants to do. Safar Ali Moradi is really good as a shy, Kurdish soldier who is very disturbed by what Mr. Badii wants to do while Abdolrahman Bagheri is great as the taxidermist who provides his own insights about the world and death. Finally, there’s Homayon Ershadi in a phenomenal performance as Mr. Baadi. Ershadi’s calm yet understated performance as a man seeking to end his life is truly one of the most haunting performances captured on film as he is a man that just wants something done without any complications as Ershadi delivers in every moment that occurs in the film.

Taste of Cherry is a magnificent yet compelling film from Abbas Kiarostami that features a wonderful performance from Homayon Ershadi. Audiences that doesn’t know much about Iranian cinema or the works of Kiarostami will definitely see this as a worthy introduction. Particularly for a film that is set years after the rule of Ayatollah Khomeini at a time when Iran is starting to progress into the modern world. It is a film that offers not a lot of necessary back story or expositions but rather as a minimalist exercise to keep things simple and to the point. In the end, Taste of Cherry is a mesmerizing film from Abbas Kiarostami.

Abbas Kiarostami Films: (The Experience) - The Traveler - (A Wedding Suit) - The Report - (First Case, Second Case) - (Fellow Citizens) - (First Graders) - Where is the Friend’s House? - Homework (1989 film) - Close-Up - Life and Nothing More… - Through the Olive Trees - (The Wind Will Carry Us) - (ABC Africa) - (Ten) - (Five) - (10 on Ten) - (Shirin) - Certified Copy - Like Someone in Love - 24 Frames

© thevoid99 2011