Diretores

Born in Iran in 1940, Abbas Kiarostami is one of the leading directors in the history of Iranian cinema and an essential name in contemporary cinema. He attended the Fine Arts School at Tehran University and debuted as a screenwriter and director in 1970 with the short film “The Bread and Alley”. He made his first feature, “The Traveller”, in 1974, and over the following years dedicated himself to producing shorts and educational films focused on the children’s universe, a period in which he honed the style that would bring him international acclaim with “Where Is the Friend’s Home?” (1987). His films have been presented at the Mostra ever since, and was a member of the event’s first jury, at its 18th edition, in 1994. Among his major works are “Close-Up” (1990), “Life, and Nothing More...” (1992), “Through the Olive Trees” (1994), winner of the critics’ choice award at the 18th Mostra, “Taste of Cherry” (1997), which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, “The Wind Will Carry Us” (1999), and “Ten” (2002). In 2004, he had a full retrospective of his work screened at the 28th Mostra, including the release of a book featuring his photos and texts. The Mostra also screened “Certified Copy” (2010, at the 34th Mostra), “Like Someone in Love” (2012, at the 36th Mostra), and “24 Frames” (2017, 41st Mostra), in addition to the short “Take Me Home” (2016, at the 40th Mostra). In 2012, he won the Leon Cakoff Prize, granted by the Mostra. Beyond cinema, Kiarostami was a poet, photographer, painter, illustrator, and graphic designer. His photography exhibitions toured galleries worldwide, and his poetic work has been translated into numerous languages. Kiarostami died in 2016 at the age of 76.