Lucky enough to see the restored Koker Trilogy on the big screen thanks to the Kiarostami retrospective (And Life Goes On: The Films of Abbas Kiarostami) at The Cinematheque in Vancouver.

(Kiarostami never referred to Where Is the Friend's Home? (1987), And Life Goes On (a.k.a. Life and Nothing More, 1992) and Through the Olive Trees (1994) a trilogy - this was dubbed by critics and film scholars)

Indiewire covered the Janus Films traveling series:
www.indiewire.com/2019/07/abbas-kiarostami-a-retrospective-trailer-janus-films-restoration-1202160458/

Watched at The Cinematheque in Vancouver.

one of the most diligent films ever made, a painstaking coming of age odyssey with an incredibly expansive symbology: everything here is absolutely essential, a boy whose back hurts because he needs to help his father by carrying milk, some brownish red pants, a gust of wind in the backyard, the windows' reflex on the walls... it's all very potent, these signs aren't there for mere narrative development, they address a much bigger spectrum where politics, economics and metaphysics collide. the biggest question here is also the biggest question on liberalism: how am i supposed to do my work when i am preventing my neighbour of doing his? an extremely meticulous work, which ends with the most utterly beautiful signs of them all: a small flower on a notebook.

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

Iranian culture normally puts a lot of emphasis on children and the education they must receive in order to "be good contributors to society". The methods used are, of course, inappropriate and destructive, but that's life's vicious cycle: unless a generation breaks the moral patterns established, they will keep on getting transmitted through heritage. This beautiful slice of everyday life makes us go deep into the mind of a child, a child that we once were. The film is so explicit in its emotions that we understand everything going on in his mind, the motives behind his actions and *bam*! Suddenly, we are focusing on adults for segments of around 6 minutes for contrast effects. Adulthood hypocrisy is a strong issue to deal with, but it is very satisfactory to see a talented filmmaker to put Iran on the map, question certain aspects of education and growth and focus on the little, audiovisual and sensory elements of life.

96/100

Kiarostami just has an eye for interesting locations.

This film reminds me a little of Little Fugitive, in that it features a young man as its central role who goes on an adventure in a nearby place but none-the-less seems somewhat lost. It has an innocent air to it, but still resonates and shows the depths of human kindness. The basic humanity and compassion that pervades Kiarostami's work is a sharp contrast to so many other filmmakers, from Bela Tarr's bleak cynicism to Godard's scathing critiques. It's warm and inviting and beautiful, and while I appreciate the dolor of Tarr, ultimately, it's this sense of compassion I get from Kiarostami that makes him my favorite director.

to old people who think that beating up children is a way to discipline them: die

Simple, beautiful, and captivating.

Ahmed has my heart. I am a sucker for childhood-centric films and this was able to capture the charm that only a few can manage. Kiarostami gives us human kindness, friendship, and magic through our lead, Ahmed. I am reminded of how everyday heroics, no matter how seemingly small, will always stand out in this world of chaos. The 83 minutes fly by beautifully.

My first Kiarostami film, recommended by Denise!! 💛
Sinegang weekly pick #10

Check out our Letterboxd profile here.

For the bracket!

Where The Bicycle Thief centers on a father’s wish for his son to be proud of him versus his own shame, Friend’s House is about a child’s desire to save his friend from shame. It pairs nicely with the Miyazaki we’ve been watching. Both this and HM’s films tap into what it’s like to be a child with a planet-sized problem that nobody else realizes is the size of a planet.

Could watch him run up them zig-zags forever. Hope Wes Anderson wrote AK a nice thank you note.

My first encounter with Kiarostami and his Koker trilogy, very humane and well-composed. Adopts the immediacy, confusion and perseverance in the viewpoint of a child magnificently, with enduring compassion. The simplest stories can be the most telling.

Embarcándome en está película estaba preparado para darme de bruces contra un ritmo narrativo ajeno al que estoy acostumbrado y a rasgos culturales extraños a los míos que culminarían por alejarme emocionalmente de la misma. Nada de esto pasó, ¿Dónde está la casa de mi amigo? es una película hermosa, con un ritmo y con una problemática universal: el ser un nene en un mundo de grandes. Es una película tan pura, tan llena de amor por su protagonista que me emocionó saber que a pesar de toda la maleza, de todo el arte berreta que uno termina metiéndose por las cavidades existe en mi mismo mundo.

Não esperava chorar tanto por causa de caderno.

Essa opressão do adulto sobre as crianças, não se importando com seus problemas, além da diferença geracional e todas as dificuldades de cada uma delas deixa o filme interessante e apreensivo.

eu não terminei de assistir mas vou deixar aqui como um aviso NAO ASSISTAM

grandfather: my dad beat me to teach me discipline and we need to do the same to these kids !!

everybody else: https://youtu.be/jYOH4a2ltTI

Report Card.

The scamp is a champ
Searching for his mate's abode
A jolly good job

So sweet, so pure.

büyüdükçe eksiliyoruz. masumiyetimiz kayboluyor, duyarlılığımız yerini aldırmazlığa bırakıyor. keşke büyümesek..

-Did he look at your homework?
-No.
-I did it for you.

iyi yürekli bi çocuğun sorumluluk duygusuyla hareket edip, zaman kavramını yitirmesi ve hedefine ulaşamaması hüsranı..beni duygulandıran ve etkileyen tatlı bir filmdi. 
bu arada basit bir eylemin tek bir kişiyi kaygılandırdığı zaman çevrenin düşüncesizce hareket edip hiç yardımcı olmaması çok üzücü ya. ha bir de yaşlı morukların şiddeti savunması ve bunun sonucunda çocukların iyi yetişeceğini düşünmesi ezikçe.

trời ơi cảm giác kí ức ùa về luôn đó trờiii haha vui ghê