Abbas Kiarostami

Abbas Kiarostami was born in Tehran, Iran, on June 22, 1940. He graduated with a degree in Fine Arts before working as a graphic designer. He then joined the Centre for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults, where he founded a film section. This, at the age of 30, was the beginning of his career as a filmmaker. In addition to film work Kiarostami has attracted international acclaim for his poetry and photography. His photographic work includes Untitled Photographs, a collection of over thirty photographs of snow landscapes, taken in his hometown Tehran between 1978 and 2003. An exhibition of Kiarostami’s photographs of roads, trees and views from a car were shown at PS1 Contemporary Art Center in New York in 2007.

One of the most visionary figures in international cinema, Kiarostami makes films that challenge viewers’ expectations of modern filmmaking and expound a deeply humanist philosophy. His film credits include The Koker Trilogy (1987-94), A Taste of Cherry (1997), The Wind Will Carry Us (1999), Ten (2002), and Shirin (2008). Kiarostami takes his inspiration and story ideas from the people around him and from his close observation of everyday life. He stresses a natural, improvisational approach from his actors. In his latest film Shirin, 112 Iranian actresses and Juliette Binoche are shot watching a 12th century Persian play.