Abbas KIAROSTAMI

Director, Actor

Iran

Born on the 22nd of June, 1940 in Teheran. From 1960 to 1968 he started his cinematographic career designing credits and directing advertisements. With a friend in 1969, Kiarostami founded the Cinematographic Department of the Institute for Children and Young Adults Intellectual Development (Kanun) that, in the course of the years, has produced a relevant number of high quality Iranian movies, by directors such as: A. Naderi, B. Beyzaï, D.Mehrjui, E. Forozesh, Dj Panahi, Sobrah Sh. Saless...
By 1970 Abbas Kiarostami directs numerous short films and then features. His favourite subject being 'the child' until 1991. He prefers to work with non-actors in natural surroundings. His work is marked by a keen Chekhovian sense of humour, tinted with poetry. At the end of the 1980s Kiarostami obtains well-deserved international recognition. In 1989 he won the Bronze Pardo at Locarno Festival; in 1992 he won the Rossellini Prize at Cannes for his career; in 1997 "The Taste of Cherries" obtained the Golden Palme at the Cannes Film Festival; "The Wind Will Take Us Away" won the Grand Jury Prize of the Venice Mostra in 1999. On the 13th of November, 1997 Unesco bestowed upon him the "Fellini" medal.