Death of Abbas Kiarostami: Presidents Pay Tribute to the Artist

Following the death of Abbas Kiarostami, the renowned Iranian filmmaker, on Monday, both the current and former presidents of Iran, as well as the President of France, paid special tributes to his memory. Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, expressed his condolences in a special message published on his Twitter page on Tuesday, July 15, describing Kiarostami's 'deep and different perspective' as a lasting achievement for world cinema. In the ongoing reactions to the death of this filmmaker, which have continued since Monday night, Mohammad Khatami, the former President of Iran, also expressed his condolences in another message published on Twitter, referring to the 'tragic passing' of this prominent filmmaker. Abbas Kiarostami, who had traveled to France for treatment due to the worsening of his illness, passed away in Paris at the age of 76 on Monday afternoon, July 14. According to Mehr News Agency, this filmmaker had been struggling with a gastrointestinal illness since last Esfand and his treatment progressed in such a way that not only did his condition not improve, but it also worsened, leading to the decision to continue his treatment outside Iran in France. He was the creator of films such as 'Taste of Cherry', 'Report', 'Where Is the Friend's Home?', 'Homework', 'The Wind Will Carry Us', 'Life, and Nothing More', 'Close-Up', and 'Through the Olive Trees', which have won numerous awards at international festivals. 'Taste of Cherry' is the only film from Iranian cinema that has won the prestigious Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Kiarostami received this award in 1997, but upon returning to Iran after winning the award, not only was there no one to welcome him, but he claimed he had to exit through the back door of the airport to avoid being caught by hardliners who intended to harm him. Perhaps it was this Palme d'Or that prompted François Hollande, the President of France, to also pay tribute to Kiarostami, the filmmaker, photographer, and poet, in a special message on Tuesday. Abbas Kiarostami passed away while at least three of his films remained unreleased in his country: 'Ten', 'The Wind Will Carry Us', and 'Like Someone in Love'.