TEHRAN- Acclaimed Iranian film “Taste of Cherry,” written and directed by the world-renowned filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami was screened at Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan last week.

The selection of the film, as stated by the organizers, was based on its simplicity of language combined with a profound and meaningful screenplay, which has successfully captured the audience’s attention, showcasing the merit of the choice, ISNA reported on Wednesday.

In recent years, with the growing interest in the Persian language and Iranian studies at Nazarbayev University, and by the efforts of the Iranian cultural attaché and in collaboration with the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, a Persian language club has been established by enthusiastic and dedicated students, the report added. 

This has led to a flourishing of various cultural programs, including the introduction of the Persian language, celebrations of renowned figures in Iranian literature, and screenings of Iranian films at the university.

With the screening of this first Iranian film, there has been significant interest among students regarding Iranian cinema. Following the organizers' suggestion, another classic from Iranian cinema is expected to be showcased next month, in consultation with the university's Persian language and Iranian studies professors.

“Taste of Cherry” is a 1997 minimalist drama film written, produced, edited, and directed by celebrated Iranian auteur Abbas Kiarostami, and starring Homayoun Ershadi as a middle-aged Tehran man, who drives through a city suburb, in search of someone willing to carry out the task of burying him after he commits suicide. The film won the Palme d'Or at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival.

Since the film's release, multiple other critics have also declared it a masterpiece; in the British Film Institute's 2012 Sight & Sound poll, six critics and two directors named it one of the 10 best films ever made. It was also named the 9th best film of the 90s by Slant Magazine. 

Abbas Kiarostami (1940-2016) was an Iranian film director, screenwriter, poet, photographer, and film producer. An active filmmaker from 1970, Kiarostami had been involved in the production of over 40 films, including shorts and documentaries. Kiarostami attained critical acclaim for directing “Close-Up” (1990), “The Wind Will Carry Us” (1999), and “Taste of Cherry” (1997). In later works, “Certified Copy” (2010) and “Like Someone in Love” (2012), he filmed for the first time outside Iran, in Italy and Japan, respectively.

Kiarostami was part of a generation of filmmakers in the Iranian New Wave, a Persian cinema movement that started in the late 1960s and emphasized the use of poetic dialogue and allegorical storytelling dealing with political and philosophical issues.

Kiarostami is known for his use of Persian poetry in the dialogue, titles, and themes of his films. His films also contain a notable degree of ambiguity, an unusual mixture of simplicity and complexity, and often a mix of fictional and documentary elements. The concepts of change and continuity, in addition to the themes of life and death, play a major role in Kiarostami's works.

Photo: Homayoun Ershadi acts in a scene from “Taste of Cherry” by Abbas Kiarostami 

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