Abbas Kiarostami: The moment of truth

1979 was the year that marked the beginning of a new era for Iran. It was the year when Ayatollah Khomeini came into power and the Islamic Revolution was going to pave a new way for Iran. Many Iranians were unsure what to make of it or what the future of Iranian Art was going to turn out to be.

Some artists and filmmakers decided to flee the country, while others felt they might lose their identity if they were to bloom anywhere else other than on Iranian soil. Abbas Kiarostami was one of those artists who decided to stay back and work in Iran.

Abbas Kiarostami is arguably the most prominent figure in the new Iranian wave of filmmaking. Through his illustrious 40 years of film career; Kiarostami explored not just versatile storytelling techniques, but also human conditions within a confined society. His works have resonated throughout the world and received the Palm D’or at Cannes for his film Taste of Cherry (1997).