From youthful conundrums to that of older age as well, Kiarostami's ongoing work in the short film format comes into focus in this vibrant program of five short films shot across a span of six years.
Solution (11min):
Shot amid spectacular mountain scenery north of Tehran during the Iranian revolution, this whimsical road movie follows a young man trying to hitch a ride with an unwieldy tire. After being repeatedly passed, he simply takes the tire and rolls it down the mountain in this lyrical journey filmed far from the instability of Iran’s capital.
The Colors (15min):
A vibrant film essay exploring the range of hues that color our world, creatively introducing color values to young children. As a narrator runs though the colors one by one, Kiarostami depicts where each appears in nature or manufactured objects—featuring curious footage of pre-revolutionary consumer culture in Iran.
Toothache (26min):
Young Mohammad-Reza falls victim to tooth decay woes—and Kiarostami takes advantage of his misfortune by documenting the trauma of the subsequent dental appointment—crafting a humorous portrait eliciting empathy for a young man in a troubling situation familiar to many.
Orderly or Disorderly (15min):
A sense of order is the necessary basis of any good social organization. To illustrate this axiom, a series of paired scenes in this educational short film juxtapose civilized behavior against anarchic actions. The film crew, however, finds it difficult to organize disorder.
The Chorus (17min):
An old man strolls through the noisy streets of Rasht. When his hearing aid is knocked out of his ear, the film’s sound goes off, mimicking the silence that envelops him. At home, the same thing happens when he takes the device out, and Kiarostami intercuts his silent actions with the clamor of schoolgirls attempting to get his attention from outside. Another Kiarostami meditation on the contrasts of silence and sound, age and youth, solitude and solidarity.
The Belcourt Theatre does not provide advisories about subject matter or potential triggering content, as sensitivities vary from person to person.
Beyond the synopses, trailers and review links on our website, other sources of information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media and IMDb, as well as through general internet searches.
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