Born on the 22nd of June, 1940 in Teheran. From 1960 to 1968 he started his cinematographic career designing credits and directing advertisements. With a friend in 1969, Kiarostami founded the Cinematographic Department of the Institute for Children and Young Adults Intellectual Development (Kanun) that, in the course of the years, has produced a relevant number of high quality Iranian movies, by directors such as: A. Naderi, B. Beyzaï, D.Mehrjui, E. Forozesh, Dj Panahi, Sobrah Sh. Saless...
By 1970 Abbas Kiarostami directs numerous short films and then features. His favourite subject being 'the child' until 1991. He prefers to work with non-actors in natural surroundings. His work is marked by a keen Chekhovian sense of humour, tinted with poetry. At the end of the 1980s Kiarostami obtains well-deserved international recognition. In 1989 he won the Bronze Pardo at Locarno Festival; in 1992 he won the Rossellini Prize at Cannes for his career; in 1997 "The Taste of Cherries" obtained the Golden Palme at the Cannes Film Festival; "The Wind Will Take Us Away" won the Grand Jury Prize of the Venice Mostra in 1999. On the 13th of November, 1997 Unesco bestowed upon him the "Fellini" medal.
Jury attendance
- President Cinéfondation & Short Films, 2014
- President Caméra d'Or, 2005
- Member Cinéfondation & Short Films, 2002
- Member Feature films, 1993
