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. After joining the Centre for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults, he founded a film section at the age of thirty. This marked the beginning of Abbas's career as an international filmmaker. In addition to his cinema productions, Abbas has attracted international acclaim for his poetry and photography. His photographic work includes Untitled Photographs; a collection of photographs taken between the years 1978 and 2003 of the landscape surrounding Tehran when covered in snow.  An exhibition of Kiarostami’s landscape black and white photographs depicting the white snow covered roads and trees was held at PS1 Contemporary Art Center in New York in 2007.

One of the most visionary figures in international cinema, Abbas creates films that challenges the viewers’ expectations of modern film-making. Abbas takes inspiration from a close observation and study of the people around him and the everyday lives they pursue. He stresses a natural and improvisational approach from the actors. A few selection of his films include The Koker Troligy (1987-94), A Taste of Cherry (1997), The Wind Will Carry Us (1999), Ten (2002), Shirin (2008) and Certified Copy (2011).  In Shirin, 112 Iranian actresses and Juliette Binoche are shot watching a 12th century Persian play.