35th Fajr Int’l Film Festival honors Abbas Kiarostami

The 35th edition of Fajr International Film Festival has honored Abbas Kiarostami with his colleagues sharing their common memories.

A number of Kiarostami’s colleagues in ‘Tickets’ and ‘Like Someone in Love’ shared memories of their collaboration with the acclaimed Iranian filmmaker on April 22.

As a part of the three-day program to pay tribute to the legendary filmmaker who dies last July, assistant director Shohreh Golparian delivered speech about Kiarostami.

She worked with him as an interpreter, line producer and the director of cinematography in ‘Like Someone in Love’.

Made in Tokyo in 2012, the film is about the relationship between a young girl and an old man.

Cinematographer Mahmoud Kalari and sound effects engineer Mohammad-Reza Delpak, who collaborated with Kiarostami in ‘Tickets’, also talked about their memories of Kiarostami.

The Italy-based Iranian actor Babak Karimi, who worked on the project as a producer and film editor, shared his memories of the collaboration via a video file which was screened at the program.

‘Tickets’ has been jointly directed by Kiarostami, Ken Loach and Ermanno Olmi in 2005.

The film is an anthology about a journey from Central Europe to Rome, during which the characters connect through casual encounters and set forth a story of love, chance and sacrifice.

Kiarostami was a multitalented artist and an exceptional man who joyfully embraced life. He was winner of the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Festival in 1997 for his film ‘Taste of Cherry’.

He is mostly known as a screenwriter, film editor, art director and producer as well as a poet, photographer, painter, illustrator, and graphic designer.

The cinematic works by the internationally acclaimed filmmaker have been hailed by various festivals around the world.

Several prestigious festivals and film events have already honored the noted Iranian director as well as paid homage to Kiarostami by presenting retrospectives of his works.

Iran’s iconic director, Kiarostami, died in July 2016 at the age of 76.

MG/MMF