Abbas Kiarostami Quotes

Powerful Abbas Kiarostami for Daily Growth

About Abbas Kiarostami

Abbas Kiarostami (February 22, 1940 – July 4, 2016) was a renowned Iranian filmmaker whose work spanned over four decades and bridged the gap between documentary-style realism and cinematic fiction. Born in Tehran, Kiarostami grew up in a family of eight children and developed an early interest in photography. This passion led him to study at the School of Fine Arts in Tehran. Kiarostami's film career began in the 1970s when he started working as a screenwriter for the Iranian Children Film Foundation. His debut directorial work, "The Traveler" (1974), marked the beginning of his acclaimed 'Koker Trilogy', which includes "Where Is the Friend's House?" (1987) and "Life, and Nothing More..." (1992). These films were known for their realistic narrative style, focusing on children, and exploration of moral dilemmas. In 1990, Kiarostami directed "Close-Up", a semi-documentary film based on a true story that blurs the lines between reality and fiction. The film won the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. His other notable works include "Taste of Cherry" (1997), which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes, and "Certified Copy" (2010), his last work filmed partly in Tuscany, Italy. Kiarostami's films are characterized by their philosophical themes, visual aesthetics, and emphasis on conversation and the human condition. He was known for his innovative use of long takes, static cameras, and non-professional actors. His work has been praised for its ability to engage audiences in introspective reflections about life, love, and humanity. Despite facing challenges due to political censorship and living outside Iran for a significant portion of his later years, Kiarostami continued to produce thought-provoking cinema that resonated with international audiences. His legacy continues to inspire filmmakers around the world.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The camera is a kind of passport that allows us to travel everywhere without leaving our studio."

This quote by Abbas Kiarostami suggests that photography or filmmaking, through the use of a camera, provides an unprecedented opportunity for artists to traverse physical boundaries and explore various parts of the world from their creative space. The camera serves as a metaphorical passport, granting access to diverse locations, people, cultures, and experiences without requiring actual travel. In essence, it allows storytellers to share unique perspectives and promote global understanding.


"I believe in cinema as a universal language, and I think it's more effective than any other form of art in expressing human emotions."

Abbas Kiarostami's quote emphasizes the unique ability of cinema to transcend cultural boundaries and universally communicate complex human emotions. He views film as a powerful medium for artistic expression, arguably more impactful than other art forms in capturing the nuances of human experience. This perspective underscores cinema's significant role in fostering empathy and understanding among diverse populations by providing a shared platform to explore universal aspects of the human condition.


"The most important thing for me is the way I look at the world. My films are my point of view, not a message or a political statement."

This quote indicates that Abbas Kiarostami, a renowned Iranian filmmaker, believes that his unique perspective on life is more significant than any specific messages or political statements in his films. Instead, he presents the world as he sees it, inviting viewers to share his point of view and interpret its meaning for themselves. In other words, Kiarostami's art is about showcasing his personal vision rather than delivering a predefined message or agenda.


"I don't like to make films that tell people what they should think or feel."

This quote by Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami suggests a belief in artistic freedom, encouraging viewers to form their own thoughts and emotions rather than being guided by the director's explicit message. By creating open-ended narratives, Kiarostami invites audiences to engage critically and personally with his work, fostering a deeper connection and understanding of both the film and themselves.


"Cinema, for me, is a humanistic medium, and it's important to remember that the world isn't just made up of heroes and villains."

This quote emphasizes that cinema, as a medium, has a strong humanistic quality, reflecting the complexities and nuances of human life. Kiarostami suggests that the world is not merely populated by 'heroes' and 'villains', but rather individuals with diverse personalities, experiences, strengths, and weaknesses. His statement encourages filmmakers to portray characters authentically and avoid stereotypes or oversimplifications, allowing audiences to connect more deeply with the stories on screen.


Whenever people ask me what the story is for my next film, I won't tell and people feel it's because I'm being secretive or something, but it's actually because I'm ashamed to sum up a film in three sentences.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Next, Ashamed, Sentences, Secretive

My films have been progressing towards a certain kind of minimalism, even though it was never intended. Elements which can be eliminated have been eliminated.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Which, Films, Eliminated, Progressing

I feel like a tree. A tree doesn't feel a duty to start doing something about the earth from which it comes. A tree just has to bear fruit, and leaves and blossoms. It doesn't feel grateful to the earth.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Grateful, Doing, Which, Blossoms

My way of expression is full of complications and mystery because that's my perception of life.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Mystery, Expression, Because, Perception

When I talk to some of the younger filmmakers, they are so worried about their films that, eventually, this state of being worried reflects itself in and helps the final work. Whereas, with projects that are meticulously planned, you look at the end result and it is full of emptiness.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Some, Projects, About, Emptiness

A good movie is made by an initial burst of energy, the way that, when you are in school, your class exercises are always better than your final projects.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Movie, Always, Projects, Burst

Poetry always runs away from you - it's very difficult to grasp it, and every time you read it, depending on your conditions, you will have a different grasp of it. Whereas with a novel, once you have read it, you have grasped it.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Always, Away, Very, Runs

The calling of art is to extract us from our daily reality, to bring us to a hidden truth that's difficult to access - to a level that's not material but spiritual.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Art, Hidden, Access, Extract

I would say that no film is apolitical. There are politics in all films. Any film that is anchored in a society, any film that deals with humanity is necessarily political.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Politics, Films, Anchored, Apolitical

Cinema gives you the opportunity to be both a grandparent and a grandchild whereas in life you cannot be both at the same time.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Life, Opportunity, Same Time, Whereas

I spend a lot of time doing carpentry. Sometimes there is nothing that gives me the contentment that sawing a piece of wood does.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Doing, Sometimes, Nothing, Carpentry

If you are a businessman or a politician in Iran, you can get a visa as quickly as you ask for it.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Politician, Get, Iran, Visa

To me, AIDS is an international epidemic and every country can be affected by it. Therefore, it can be discussed on an international level. Unfortunately, AIDS doesn't require a visa.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Country, Level, Epidemic, Visa

The day we run out of petrol is the day Iran will be free.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Run, Will, Iran, Petrol

I've often noticed that we are not able to look at what we have in front of us, unless it's inside a frame.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Able, Unless, Noticed, Frame

Usually when I take my films to festivals, I feel incredibly anxious about them. I wonder how it will be received, how the audience will react. I feel deeply responsible for them.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Audience, Festivals, Films, I Wonder

I think Woody Allen is Woody Allen, and no matter where he goes he still makes his Woody Allen films.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Think, Still, Films, Woody

Cinema seats make people lazy. They expect to be given all the information. But for me, question marks are the punctuation of life.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Lazy, Question, Given, Marks

As film-makers, it is very important for us to find common ground between cultures, and maybe that's less the case for politicians who benefit more from finding the conflicts and differences between us.

- Abbas Kiarostami

More, Maybe, Very, Case

In order to be universal, you have to be rooted in your own culture.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Culture, Own, Rooted, Order

I never reflect or convey that which I have not experienced myself.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Never, Reflect, Which, Convey

I prefer the countryside to cities. This is also true of my films: I have made more films in rural societies, and villages, than in towns.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Cities, Films, Prefer, Societies

I think I really produce my best work in Iran.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Work, Think, I Think, Best Work

A work of art doesn't exist outside the perception of the audience.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Art, Audience, Exist, Perception

Digital photography is, by definition, unfinished. You don't feel that after every 24 or 36 shots you have to change your film - you know you can go on for ever if you want. You can see the result immediately, and find out if your original idea is worth going on with or not, whether it can be corrected, whether it can be improved.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Feel, Idea, Your, Unfinished

Film is very much a universal and common voice, and we can't limit it to one particular culture.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Voice, Common, Very, Universal

There is violence in real life but I would never impose violence in a film just to attract the audience.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Never, Audience, Would, Real Life

Good cinema is what we can believe, and bad cinema is what we can't believe.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Good, Believe, Bad, Cinema

If you catch me coming out of a film, when I'm emotionally involved, I can tell you at that moment why I like it - but to talk about it years later is not logical to me.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Tell, Like, About, Catch

All the different nations in the world, despite their differences of appearance and religion and language and way of life, still have one thing in common, and that is what's inside of all of us. If we X-rayed the insides of different human beings, we wouldn't be able to tell from those X-rays what the person's language or background or race is.

- Abbas Kiarostami

Language, Differences, Tell, Beings

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