Iran, France / 2016 / 114 min. / Director: Abbas KIAROSTAMI
Abbas KIARTOSTAMI, who is also a very accomplished photographer, attempts to merge the two artistic forms of photography and cinema with this film which is based on his postulation of what happens the moment before, or possibly after, a photograph is taken. Applying precise digital technology, KIARTOSTAMI depicts "the after" of 20 photographs he has selected such as horses walking on a snowy field, a flock of birds soaring over an industrial zone, among others. The moment the beautiful still images come to life is breathtaking. It is a film which should also be called a modern version of Persian miniature paintings. The production took over three years to complete by Iranian technicians, but KIARTOSTAMI, who died in July of 2016, did not see its completion. It world premiered at this year's Cannes Film Festival.