Abbas Kiarostami Marathon Part I of VI
Wonderful.
Where is the Friend’s House is fresh air made into a motion picture; a peaceful but occasionally chatty (in a good way) film that showcases natural doses of a child’s means to conflict/resolution—learning to fix problems, discovering solutions—and exploring the adversity that builds us into becoming adults. The strong fight for the eight-year-old main character’s friendship feels unbelievably charming here, as well. The soothing score and inventive shots that capture the gorgeous scenery and ambience of Iran are all additional reasons one could go cuckoo for Kiarostami’s feature-length, not to mention.
This movie is essentially a far more wholesome and far less surreal reinterpretation of Luis Buñuel’s The Young and the Damned. Ta-da; how could somebody not enjoy this?
I’m going to go on a limb here and say that without Abbas Kiarostami‘s debut, we wouldn’t have the beautiful landscape framing of a Wes Anderson film or the authentic examination of low-class everyday life that you’d get from a Sean Baker project. Movies like Tomboy, Moonrise Kingdom, The Florida Project, Mid90s, Holes, Shoplifters, etc. I couldn’t imagine existing without Where Is the Friend’s House?
Verdict: A
“Where is the Friend’s House” is now available to stream on The Criterion Channel.
Burning the Celluloid 
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