Abbas Kiarostami’s acclaimed film “Where Is the Friend’s House?” continued its theatrical rerelease in Greece with two Athens screenings.
The Amiko open-air cinema hosted one of the screenings on September 26. It then screened at the Aniksis open-air cinema on September 27.
Both screenings presented the 1987 film in Persian with Greek subtitles. The rerelease in Greece began on August 27 as part of a wider theatrical program.
Produced by the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults, the film follows Ahmad, a schoolboy living in a rural Iranian village.
Ahmad accidentally takes his classmate’s notebook home. Worried that his friend could face punishment for failing to complete his homework, he begins a journey to return it.
Through this simple childhood adventure, Kiarostami explores friendship, responsibility and compassion. The film also offers an understated portrait of rural life and childhood in Iran.
“Where Is the Friend’s House?” earned international recognition following its release. Its honors included the Bronze Leopard at the Locarno International Film Festival and the Critics’ Prize at the São Paulo International Film Festival.
The film also received the Pasinetti Award at the Venice Film Festival. It later became the first film in Kiarostami’s celebrated Koker trilogy.
The trilogy continued with “And Life Goes On” in 1992 and “Through the Olive Trees” in 1994. “Where Is the Friend’s House?” has since appeared in numerous international retrospectives and cinematheque programs.
Kiarostami became one of the most influential figures of Iranian cinema. His work often combined simple narratives with philosophical questions, poetic dialogue and documentary-style elements.
His major films included “Close-Up,” “Taste of Cherry” and “The Wind Will Carry Us.” He also directed “Certified Copy” in Italy and “Like Someone in Love” in Japan.
Kiarostami won the Palme d’Or at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival for “Taste of Cherry.” He died in Paris on July 5, 2016, aged 76.