Where Is the Friend's House? (1987)
It all started with a missing notebook.
Presentation:
The simplest stories often make for the best films. A young boy must return a notebook to his classmate or he will be expelled, only he doesn’t know where he lives. What ensues is one of the most heartfelt and loveliest adventures of a boy’s endearing quest. Not only is the pursuit noble, he’s extremely cute. The way he repeats phrases is stunningly honest that you forget how children actually communicate. It’s not some Oscar worthy performance, but it will still make you grin ear to ear. I wager it’s impossible to not like this film and there aren’t really any flaws with the exception of maybe some redundant or slow moments of repetition. The cinematography is also surprisingly framed, to experience the beautiful landscapes of such a remote culture.
Conclusion:
The master filmmaker you never heard of. There’s a good reason why Kirosawa and Scorsese have applauded Kiarostami as a master director. He manages to capture an overlooked truth in his storytelling. There’s always a quality that is just so oddly specific that cements a human quality to his films. This is definitely the film to watch to dip your toes into middle eastern storytelling. Unbelievably simple and well executed. Abbas gives you all the reasons why children are the best of humanity.
Recommendations
Sins of the führer.