Reactions to the Passing of Abbas Kiarostami
The death of Abbas Kiarostami, a renowned filmmaker, has been met with numerous reactions from artists, politicians, and cultural and social figures both Iranian and international.
Below you can read some of these reactions that have been published on social media networks or through news media.
Shahab Hosseini, Actor:
I love… disproportionately
I live… carefree
For some time
Habib Rezaei, Actor: “Did you find your friend’s house, Master?…Oh no. The earthquake has now devastated our hearts… Your place will be strangely empty… Mr. Abbas Kiarostami departed on an eternal journey without fanfare… A scene from our cinema will turn black forever…”
Martin Scorsese, American Filmmaker: “I was deeply shaken and moved to hear of Abbas Kiarostami’s passing. He was one of the rare artists with a special understanding of the world, or as Jean Renoir said: ‘Reality is always magical.'”
Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Iranian Filmmaker told the BBC: “Abbas Kiarostami was a filmmaker of life and death did not come to him.”
“He made the name of Iranian cinema renowned throughout the world.”
Behrouz Vossoughi, Actor of Iranian Cinema: “Kiarostami was precious… I was very sorry, really it was a shock to me. Because Abbas Kiarostami was truly one of the ten greatest filmmakers of cinema.”
Vossoughi wrote on his Instagram: “I have known Abbas since the time of Caesar, when he was creating the opening credits of Caesar, then we became friends later. When he came to America, we saw each other a few times. I had very good moments with him, always, and I will never forget the kindness he showed. At the San Francisco Festival, he gave me his Kurosawa Award and said I’m giving this to Behrouz Vossoughi because of the work he did in Iran and because of the work he didn’t do.”
Reaction of the President of France
The Élysée Palace issued a statement stating: “The Iranian filmmaker, Abbas Kiarostami, left a profound impact on the history of cinema. He was a filmmaker, poet, and photographer whose works placed poetry alongside life’s small things, bestowing upon them a special and universal dimension. Abbas Kiarostami, winner of the Golden Palm in 1997, had a deep artistic relationship and friendship with our country. The President of France honors the memory of this great Iranian artist whose cinema had a universal language and vision.”
Mohammad Khatami, Former President of Iran expressed condolences for Kiarostami’s death and considered his passing “a heavy loss for Iran’s fine art.”
Hassan Rouhani’s Reaction
The Twitter account of Hassan Rouhani, President of Iran: Abbas #Kiarostami’s different and profound perspective on life and his invitation to people toward peace and friendship will be an enduring achievement in the seventh art.
Source: BBC
