FILMMAKER Abbas Kiarostami 1940 – 2016
Remembering Abbas Kiarostami
TIFF
~ video 2 hour in Conversation. TIFF Lightbox 2016. Translation, therefore v. slow so only for the real enthusiasts! Pompous film-type hoping for arty-farty replies gets dead simple film-maker’s simple answers. Tha’s m’ boy…
In his wiki
Ben Gibson, Director of the London Film School:
“Very few people have the creative and intellectual clarity to invent cinema from its most basic elements, from the ground up. We are very lucky to have the chance to see a master like Kiarostami thinking on his feet.”
confirms my immediate response to the interview. Anyone who has a great desire to be a film maker, or has a great desire but is probably not going to make a film ever but just loves to work out how this film that isn’t ever going to be be made could be made, Kiarostami’s way of thinking about film should be an encouragement.
At the beginning of the interview the Hercule Poirot’s among you will have noticed AK asked for the lights to be turned down a bit. They couldn’t or wouldn’t for the filming. He was frustrated. It turns out he suffers from light sensitivity and always wears shades. That is insensitive and a missed opportunity to talk about lighting. The guy asks for less illumination. He’s a film-maker. He should know whether you can film with less light! In long-shot it was obvious the spots needed to be reduced with more overhead lighting.
There will be mountains on AK. Look forward to adding more links later. Plenty of reading to catch up on. Not sure which I’d recommend to a first timer. Close Up would be recommended by many, I’m sure. Or even if you wanted to chose just one representative of his oeuvre. Which is probably in the territory of this cartoon.
The book is so much better than the film..
You’ve only seen Close Up but who is going to know? Oh, yes I highly recommend you see that. And now you’re going to catch up fast in case someone catches you out.
Oh, and what I’d really like to see is Kiarostami in conversation with Panahi. Anyone for a mash-up? And, oh, oh, try not to start mentioning latter’s films thinking they are the former’s. Do try some Panahi if you haven’t. Suggest Taxi followed by This is not a Film. But the other way round is fine. Then some earlier ones.
Other
A One-of-a-Kind Artist: The RogerEbert.com Staff Remembers Abbas Kiarostami
Why you should know Abbas Kiarostami — and his 6 most legendary films
~ Explore the intimate, quiet world of the great Iranian filmmaker.
Clips from each film
cutting on the action 
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