Back to Rants and Raves

Five Reasons Why I Love Abbas Kiarostami

1. K for Fake.

For my money, no-one has done more to revolutionize the concept of documentary than Kiarostami Ð his films occupy a world that is neither documentary or fiction, real or artificial, but a strange mix of both; in other words, itÕs the world we live in. Look no further than a film like CLOSE-UP, the greatest film about filmmaking ever made, to revel in the insights Kiarostami makes on the effect of movies, entertainment and media on the values and behaviors of todayÕs society, all over the world. But his films do more than dish out the dirt about our lives; quite the contrary, rather than broadcast his ideas in clear bullet points, he prefers to engage his audience in a playful exploration of his subjects, so that they come to discover their own truths. To do this, he will omit certain ÒcrucialÓ pieces of information or entire scenes from his narrative, refusing to explain exactly what has happened. Why does the hero of TASTE OF CHERRY want to kill himself? Do we really need to know? With THE WIND WILL CARRY US, it is as if narrative has been thrown out the window and the characters are experiencing the story from moment to moment Ð sort of like real life itself. Most recently he has even filmed entire scenes in the dark, with dialogue and the imagination of the viewer as his only tools. Kiarostami has said, ÒWe can never get close to the truth except by lying.Ó If his crafty technique is a way of Òhiding the truthÓ from the audience, it certainly enables the audience to seek their own truth on their own, which may be more valuable in the long run.

2. This land is your land, this land is Iran.

KiarostamiÕs films, if anything, can be appreciated for their immense beauty in depicting his homeland. ItÕs not necessarily a picturesque, touristy beauty, but one that seems to respect the inherent qualities of objects in their place: a roving landscape, a tree on a hill, the window shutters of a dusty village house and an empty spray can on the street each have a beauty that is their own. Similarly, the people Kiarostami depicts are all full of vibrant personalities Ð if there is one thing that Kiarostami can be praised for, it is that he has shown the Iranian people to be as diverse and humane as any people on earth, not a bunch of narrow-minded religious fanatics.

3. Not since the days of Steve McQueen have cars been more skillfully employed in movies.

This is perhaps not his greatest achievement, but it is one of my personal favorites. Kiarostami does things with cars that IÕve never seen on screen but that speaks to me, my days in California, driving around, sometimes getting lost while taking in the beauty of the world, or pondering my destiny for the next hour or the next decade. With no one else does the act of driving become a metaphysical journey: ÉAND LIFE GOES ON, TASTE OF CHERRY, WIND WILL CARRY US. It is also a journey of social mobility and discovery Ð as they drive, they meet different people with more frequency, but at the same time their encounters are more fleeting. It is the human trade-off of living in the modern world.

4. Who needs actors when you have talent?

Not since Bresson has a director used non-professional actors so skillfully, and yet the two could not be more different in their purpose. While Bresson drilled his actors to become uninvested vessels of meaning, Kiarostami goads, cajoles and plays with his actors to react any way they feel is natural, and reacts to them accordingly (nd this is nowhere as apparent as with his amazing rapport with child actors). With a style that is this improvisational, it helps to have a minimal crew. 1 cameraman, 1 sound man, 1 director, 1 world.

5.Who needs answers when you have questions?

Who needs anything when you have life? Life is the central theme of KiarostamiÕs films, in all their mystery and wonder. He explores this theme dramatically, thematically, and visually. The zigzag paths of WHERE IS THE FRIENDÕS HOME, the gorgeous final shot of ÉAND LIFE GOES ON, the dancing spray-can in CLOSE-UP, and everything in THE WIND WILL CARRY US attest to his delight in the unexpected moments that happen in life, and while his films also express resentment, disappointment and sadness when these moments result in tragic outcomes, he is still willing to subject his mind, soul and talent to the winds of lifeÉ Òand the wind will carry us with it.Ó