CCBB-Rio to Host Abbas Kiarostami Retrospective

By Chesney Hearst, Senior Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Beginning April 13th, the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB) Rio de Janeiro will present a retrospective of the works of award-winning Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami. Entitled Um filme, cem histórias: Abbas Kiarostami (One film, a hundred stories: Abbas Kiarostami), the retrospective will feature twenty-eight of Kiarostami’s works and will run through May 9th.

Considered one of the most important figures in post-revolutionary Iranian cinema, Kiarostami was born in Tehran in 1940 and began his work in the film industry in 1970. Working as a screenwriter, film editor, art director, producer, and screenwriter in addition to the role of director, Kiarostami is credited with involvement in over forty films, to date.

During his career, Kiarostami has earned critical acclaim for his works and earned a reputation for films that blur fictional and documentary elements. Two of his actual documentaries will be included in the retrospective along with his feature and short films.

Notable films featured in the CCBB retrospective include Kiarostami’s 1997 film, “Taste of Cherry,” which won the Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or; his 1999 film “The Wind Will Carry Us,” which won the Grand Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival; his first film, the 1970 short “The Bread and Alley”; and his most recent film, 2012’s “Like Someone In Love.”

In addition to the screenings, the retrospective programming will include a lecture held by film critique Luis Carlos Jr on April 28th at 7PM about Kiarostami’s work.

During that event, there will also be a launch of a 300-page book/catalog/filmography featuring specially produced and previously unpublished texts and translations of works by François Niney, Alain Bergala, Laura Mulvey, Jonathan Rosembaum and Alberto Elena, among others.

The retrospective also will be held in CCBB São Paulo from April 20th to May 9th and in CCBB Brasília from May 4th through May 23rd.

For the complete list of films, screening times, and additional information about the retrospective, see the CCBB Rio website.

What: Um filme, cem histórias: Abbas Kiarostami (One film, a hundred stories: Abbas Kiarostami)
When: April 13th through May 9th (Wednesdays through Mondays).
Where: Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB), R. Primeiro de Março, 66 – Centro
Entrance: R$2 – R$4 for each screening.