The wanderings of Kiarostami

“Kiarostami represents the highest level of art in cinema.”

Martin Scorsese

 

 

 

 

 

 

The metaphysical dimension which Kiarostami’s films acquire through his central themes of life, death, identity, individual freedom, and politics, is also enriched by his culture and practice of other arts. While the Iranian director is of course a master of the cinema, he is also a poet, a painter and a photographer of world stature. His short poems (not unlike haikus), are the fruit of a contemplation of nature inspired  by classical and contemporary Persian poetry, and an exploration of a form deeply in tune with his filmmaking work. We find there the same roads, trees, space, the passage of time and above all a new way of understanding the director of Taste of Cherry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Contemplating the cloudy sky and the massive trunk of a tree under a magical light is difficult when one is alone. Not being able to feel the pleasure of seeing a magnificent landscape with someone else is a form of torture. That is why I started taking photographs. I wanted somehow to eternalize those moments of passion and pain’.

 

Abbas Kiarostami

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bibliography and Credits

 

“Walking with the wind”, Abbas Kiarostami, POL 2002
“A Wolf Lying in Wait”, La Table Ronde 2008
“Pluie et vent”, Abbas Kiarostami,Gallimard 2008
“Havres”, Abbas Kiarostami, Erès, 2010

 

 

© Abbas Kiarostami, photographies, Hazan Eds, 1999

© “Snow White”, 2006

© “Trees and Crows”, 2006
© “Roads and Trees”, 2006

© “Rain”, 2006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A VOIR AUSSI…
The 2014 Cinéfondation and Short Films Jury	Abbas Kiarostami, rich and poetic work	Jane Campion to preside the Feature Films Jury