More Kiarostami?

[ellipsis7]

What did the prints at the BFI retro look like?

The prints looked OK for films of that age, as mentioned before, the subtitles were applied live on the rarer stuff... Probably one of the advantages of the Kiarostami early to mid period films being made under the auspices of the state body Kanun, means the materials may have been adequately archived... the 2005 London Kiarostami Festival was organised by Iran Heritage Foundation in association with BFI, V&A, C4 etc., which probably helped in accessing these materials...

[zedz]

To that list might be added a film that he wrote, produced, and edited: The Key, directed by Ebrahim Forouzesh. It was on a Facets VHS, I believe.

There are a bunch of (generally great) Kiarostami-scripted films that could form yet another box set. Panahi's White Balloon and Crimson Gold are probably the best known, but The Key and The Journey are excellent too, and I'd love to see Willow and Wind. The delightfully absurdist Men at Work is currently available from Film Movement.

A lot of these script assignments seem to have been used by Kiarostami to play around with extreme Hitchockian constraints (real time, extremely limited locations etc.). The Key is a masterpiece of suspense.

[Jeff]

Thanks so much for your annotations, ellipsis!

Referring to Breaktime as "Breakdown" was indeed a typographical error on my part, likely due to my writing "theoretical breakdown" a few lines above. I edited it.

I wondered about the two toothsome films myself. It seemed strange to me that Kiarostami would make two 24-minute films about dental care. I relied on IMDb and Wikipedia when compiling that list. They both list Behdasht-e Dandan (Dental Hygine) as being from 1980 and Dandan Dard (Toothache) from 1983. I would love to hear something definitive so that those sites could be edited if it is indeed a mistake.

There are indeed several of the shorter pieces on YouTube. I was also able to find Two Solutions for One Problem and The Bread and the Alley with English subtitles there.

I had considered the possibility that Criterion might choose to include The Key in such a set. I also thought about the possibility that Where is the Friend's Home might be put into a set of this sort instead of the "Koker Trilogy." While the overlapping characters and narratives of the Koker films make it seem like an obvious trilogy to me, Kiarostami apparently doesn't see it that way. Godfrey Cheshire says, "Kiarostami resists the designation, noting the films are connected only by the 'accident' of place. He has suggested it might be more appropriate to consider as a trilogy the latter two titles plus Taste of Cherry (1997), since these, he says, are connected by a theme: the preciousness of life." Is it possible that, in accordance with his wishes, Criterion would do a mainline release of A Film Trilogy by Abbas Kiarostami including Life and Nothing More, Through the Olive Trees and Taste of Cherry? That would leave Where is the Friend's Home available for inclusion in a Kanoon set.

If they were to add Where is the Friend's Home and The Key , I think they'd actually go to two sets, like so:

Kiarostami at Kanoon: Volume 1 -- Stories of Youth

Disc 1: Short Films
The Bread and the Alley, narrative, 10 minutes
Breaktime, narrative, 11 minutes
So Can I, narrative, 5 minutes
Solution, narrative, 12 minutes
The Chorus, narrative, 17 minutes

Disc 2
The Experience, narrative, 60 minutes
A Wedding Suit, narrative, 57 minutes

Disc 3
Where is the Friends Home, narrative, 83 minutes

Disc 4
The Key, narrative, directed by Ebrahim Forouzesh, 85 minutes

------

Kiarostami at Kanoon: Volume 2 -- Instructional Films and Documentaries

Disc 1: Short Films
Two Solutions for One Problem, instructional, 4 minutes
Colors, instructional, 15 minutes
How to Make Use of Leisure Time: Painting, instructional, 7 minutes
Tribute to the Teachers, documentary, 20 minutes
Dental Hygiene, instructional, 24 minutes
Orderly or Disorderly, instructional, 15 minutes
Toothache, instructional, 24 minutes

Disc 2
First Case, Second Case, documentary, 53 minutes
Fellow Citizen, documentary, 52 minutes

Disc 3
First Graders, documentary, 84 minutes

Disc 4
Homework, documentary, 86 minutes

[zedz]

I had considered the possibility that Criterion might choose to include The Key in such a set. I also thought about the possibility that Where is the Friend's Home might be put into a set of this sort instead of the "Koker Trilogy." While the overlapping characters and narratives of the Koker films make it seem like an obvious trilogy to me, Kiarostami apparently doesn't see it that way. Godfrey Cheshire says, "Kiarostami resists the designation, noting the films are connected only by the 'accident' of place. He has suggested it might be more appropriate to consider as a trilogy the latter two titles plus Taste of Cherry (1997), since these, he says, are connected by a theme: the preciousness of life." Is it possible that, in accordance with his wishes, Criterion would do a mainline release of A Film Trilogy by Abbas Kiarostami including Life and Nothing More, Through the Olive Trees and Taste of Cherry? That would leave Where is the Friend's Home available for inclusion in a Kanoon set.

I've heard this many times before (and also that Close Up forms a trilogy with the latter two films, which is actually a stronger argument), but it's not really supportable on the evidence, since Life and Nothing More is actually specifically about the 'filmmaker' of Where Is the Friend's House? travelling to the area to find out what happened to the boys who appeared in that film. It's a film about somebody making a film about events surrounding the earlier film, just as Through the Olive Trees is a film about somebody making a film about events surrounding the making of Life and Nothing More. They're three nested Russian dolls, and the latter two films don't make sense without the film(s) that precede them. Taste of Cherry draws on some of the same techniques as the latter two films, but it doesn't have anything like the same direct narrative relationship.

[Jeff]

Agree completely, zedz. I can't imagine arguing that the three Koker films don't belong together. Just pointing out Kiarostami's inexplicable supposed aversion to it, which I guess could put a kink in Criterion's plans if they plan to work with him on "director approved" discs.

[ellipsis7]

Jeff, the complete filmography at end of the Cahiers de Cinema livre AK - Texts, Interviews, Complete Filmography gives only Rage de Dents/Toothache, original Iranian title Dandan-e dard, with a production year of 1980...

[AquaNarc]

I would be disappointed (I know I know, first world problems) if they relegated Friend's Home to Eclipse. It's his masterpiece, IMO.

[Chaney_TUX]

Hello everyone
As an Iranian, I've watched everything by Kiarostami. every short/feature/doc/etc...
and I must tell you that you can find almost every single film he made on the internet, if you know the right torrent tracker and forums.
there's no copy-right on his films (except a few) so feel free to download them if you find them and if you don't, just send me a PM or something.
and I must tell you about an IMDb mistake. Kiarostami made only one film about tooth.

It's originally called "Toothache" A.K.A "Dandan Dard" and the original date is 1980.
this "Toothache" is also known as "Dental Hygiene" or "Behdashte Dandan".

it's just a mistake by IMDb and some other sources. the original date is 1359 (=1980).

You can see a short clip of it (+some other AK's shorts) here:

http://www.kanoontolid.com/?p=1334" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Kanoon (کانون) is the place where he made most of his short films back in the good days.

[Mathew2468]

there's no copy-right on his films

[Chaney_TUX]

There's no copy-right on more than 99% of Iranian films. as a matter of fact there's no copy-right rule in Iran.
I'm an Iranian and I live here. the thing is we don't have copy-right. you can buy copy of games for 1$. DVDs for 1$.
and to be honest, Kiarostami's films (especially his rarer items) are not so publicly well received. common people don't know that much about him.
he's somehow an important figure here in Iran. which means everybody got respect for him but out of 10 people, you can hardly find 1, that have actually seen a single film by him.
the only film by Kiarostami that public-tv shows from time to time is "Where Is The Friend's House". they showed it yesterday too.
anyway he made his short-educational for Kanoon, but that doesn't mean there's any copy-right or anything.
Criterion got the right to "Close-Up" and "Taste of Cherry" and "Certified Copy", which is not an Iranian film. but that's it.
I, myself, have seen all of his films except 2:

Kojast Jaaye Residan [2007] = it's part of a movie called "Persian Rug". 15 of the most famous Iranian directors made their own episode about Rersian rug. I couldn't go the premiere 5, 6 years ago and the movie is not out on DVD yet.
Like Someone in Love [2012]

[htshell]

I think Janus Films would disagree with that in the case of Close-Up and Taste of Cherry...

[Chaney_TUX]

If you don't mind watching his short films without any subtitle, I can provide you the download links.
and funny thing is that Criterion included "The Report" (best film by Kiarostami ever) in "Certified Copy" double disc edition.
I wonder if they purchased the copy-right since the original negative was destroyed during the revolution.
the producer of "The Report" is a famous Iranian director Bahman Farmanara and I really don't think they asked his permission for "The Report".
I'm kinda sure it's the same thing with "The Traveler" (included on Close-Up DVD) too.

I guess Criterion may have bought ("may have") the right of "The Traveler" from a foreign retailer/foreign company.

[Peacock]

Although there may not be copyright law in Iran (something I've never heard previously) copyright does exist internationally and Criterion etc like to play by the books. I'm sure I read an interview with a rep from them recently where in the case of a public domain title they still 'bought the rights' or try and track the rightsholder down (can anyone remind me where I saw this?).

So if within Iran there is no copyright, distributors can still hold worldwide rights.

[AlexHansen]

On the public domain stuff, they buy the rights so they can get access to the best negs/prints/whathaveyou.

[manicsounds]

You can buy copies of DVDs and games for $1, but what about official stuff? Are there none in Iran for sale?

Biggest reason Kiarostami is not known much in Iran is because most of his films have been 'banned' for quite some time. He was still able to make them, but the government censored them from playing.

I'm sure these $1 Kiarostami DVDs are just copies of the international DVD releases. I find it hard to believe that there are no copyright laws in Iran. Then what's the point of anyone making anything there?

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

Iran does have copyright laws. They may not be taken very seriously, but they exist. Iran hasn't signed on to the Berne Convention (which provides for international recognition of copyrights) and they have no bilateral agreement with the U.S., so American copyrights aren't recognized in Iran and Iranian copyrights aren't recognized in the U.S. But then all of Kiarostami's films from Through the Olive Trees on are French co-productions and therefore covered by French copyrights; for example the copyright on Taste of Cherry belongs to CIBY 2000. And Iran has announced plans to sign on to the Berne Convention. So if Criterion did release one of Kiarostami's earlier films without permission from the copyright holder, they're going to eventually find themselves in violation of the law, unless they pull it out of print or get post facto permission.

[whaleallright]

So if Criterion did release one of Kiarostami's earlier films without permission from the copyright holder, they're going to eventually find themselves in violation of the law, unless they pull it out of print or get post facto permission.

Which just makes it all the more imperative that we prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons.

[Cinephrenic]

I just hope those negatives are in good bunkers.

[Chaney_TUX]

You can buy copies of DVDs and games for $1, but what about official stuff? Are there none in Iran for sale?

I meant illegal copy. bootleg.
you can't find or buy original stuffs here.
there are none.
you can find original softwares and games but no movies.
people who want original DVD/BD have to pay 3 or 4 times the real price to get them. there are some people over the internet who gets money and brings stuffs like DVDs from Amazon. but for example for a 20$ dollar film you have to pay more than 80$ to those guys the get the DVD.

Biggest reason Kiarostami is not known much in Iran is because most of his films have been 'banned' for quite some time. He was still able to make them, but the government censored them from playing.


NONE of his Persian movies were banned in Iran before 2000.
every one of them got released, up to "ABC Africa" (which is not a Persian film). first and only one that got banned was "Ten".
and after "Ten" he went on making more experimental/video art stuffs and not features. his foreign films like "Tickets" and "Certified Copy" are the two films along with "Ten" that never were shown to public here in Iran. even a film like "Shirin", which hasn't got any financial side, got released here.

I'm sure these $1 Kiarostami DVDs are just copies of the international DVD releases. I find it hard to believe that there are no copyright laws in Iran. Then what's the point of anyone making anything there?

Local market.

Which just makes it all the more imperative that we prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons.

...

[whaleallright]

Just a joke!

Do you know if Kiarostami still lives in Tehran? He seems to have taken a peripatetic "wherever I lay my hat, that's my home" approach in recent years. With so many of his former colleagues either in exile or in legal trouble, I was wondering if he's been staying away from his home country.

[ryannichols7]

I believe he doesn't live there anymore but I could be wrong. i'll possibly ask him that and if Criterion may be releasing more of his work when I'm in New York next weekend when he's there screening one of the ten best movies ever made

[Perkins Cobb]

I believe he doesn't live there anymore but I could be wrong. i'll possibly ask him that and if Criterion may be releasing more of his work when I'm in New York next weekend when he's there screening one of the ten best movies ever made

And also his new one, at the NYFF.

[tachyonEvan]

I believe he doesn't live there anymore but I could be wrong. i'll possibly ask him that and if Criterion may be releasing more of his work when I'm in New York next weekend when he's there screening one of the ten best movies ever made

In the immortal words of Elizabeth Lemon, "I want to go to there."

[Chaney_TUX]

Just a joke!

Do you know if Kiarostami still lives in Tehran? He seems to have taken a peripatetic "wherever I lay my hat, that's my home" approach in recent years. With so many of his former colleagues either in exile or in legal trouble, I was wondering if he's been staying away from his home country.

As far as I know his home base (don't know if it's the right word!) is still in Tehran.
he doesn't have any problem with the government. I mean it's not like the situation with Bahman Ghobadi or Jafar Panahi.
as I said before, he's a well-respected figure in Iran. he's got his photo galleries from time to time (in Tehran) and still do interviews with magazines (in his own home) and he publishes books from time to time (he do that a lot! but that's another story).
he just makes his films outside Iran.

there was a rumor that his son, Bahman, (an editor of his films and a famous documentary maker in Iran) was arrested and told that he (Bahman) could not leave Iran for 1 year. but I don't know if it's true or not.

about 2, 3 years ago when Kiarostami made "Certified Copy" and it won the best actress award at Cannes, he kissed Juliette Binoche in the ceremony.
now if another director/a lesser known person do that, the government would ban him and possibly lock him up. but they just said that he shouldn't have done that and that was all. and he even directed a film called "The Father and the Son" and as he said in an interview, it's kinda complete, but due to the government policy and some other stuffs, he just don't want to do the final edit and release the film.

he also talked about his next project in an interview about 6 months ago with "Film" magazine. don't know if he talked about it with foreign press yet.
in English it's called "Horizontal Process" and he said the he wants to make it in a south region in Italy.
it's about a 95 years old woman, who have (or may have) killed a person more than 70 years ago and now she remembers about it...
here's the cover of that issue:



there are more than 40 magazines/newspaper/weekly-monthly cinematic stuffs here in Iran and "Film" is the oldest and the most famous.
the last controversial thing that he said (in that interview) was this:

"I don't know why I bothered making all those films with amateur/non-actor persons. I could've easily use professional actors and get the same result"

many critics and many fans blamed him and criticize him for saying that. cause we all know he couldn't have done it without those wonderful people.

and one last thing about Kiarostami living in Tehran. there's an institute called "Karname". they teach and have courses for acting/writing/criticism/directing and other things. Kiarostami is the one who teaches the directing. "Karname" classes take place in Tehran. I remember calling there about 2 year ago and asked them what should I do to register for Kiarostami class and what's the situation and they said it's 800.000 toman for 12 session. but you can't just apply/register. you have to make a short film first (!) then Kiarostami should like (!) the film and then says who can register for the class and who can't.

800.000 = 570$ (2 years ago)
800.000 = 300$ (now)

so foreigners can register now cheaper than before :d but it's still the same (and possible more than 800.000 toman after 2 years) for us.
how's that? it's because Rial/Toman (Iran's currency) got no value at all. a dollar bill (1$) was worth 1400 toman two years ago and it's 2700 toman today (September 29/2012).

and here's the ad for the "Karname" classes :

http://karname.ir/Karnameh-Classes.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



the circle I made read: "Filmmaking Workshop: Abbas Kiarostami: 1 Year, 12 Session, 6 Hours Each, 1 Session a Month"

[Chaney_TUX]

i'll possibly ask him that and if Criterion may be releasing more of his work when I'm in New York next weekend when he's there screening one of the ten best movies ever made

Did you go? there's been a controversy here about what he said. some reporters say that he said he's willing to do a filming in Israel. can you confirm that? what did he exactly say?

in Iran, if somebody says something about Israel (let alone the fact that a director says he wants to do a filming there...) it's a big crime. they don't even use the word Israel, they call it "Zionist Regime". it's not like that with USA or UK. they can freely do filming (set/location) in any country they want. they even make Iranian/American productions from time to time. but talking about Israel, that's just another story...