Kiarostami Discharged from Hospital

While some news outlets in Iran have reported that Abbas Kiarostami has been diagnosed with cancer, the IRNA news agency has reported that this Iranian filmmaker has been discharged from the hospital. Fereydoun Jiriani, an Iranian filmmaker, stated on Saturday, April 7, that Mr. Kiarostami, who was hospitalized due to gastrointestinal issues, has been discharged but needs to rest as per his doctors' recommendations. According to Jiriani, the general condition of this globally recognized filmmaker has improved. However, on the same day, ISNA news agency reported that Abbas Kiarostami, who has been undergoing treatment for multiple gastrointestinal problems for some time, was hospitalized following a worsening of these physical issues, based on the advice of his treating physicians. Earlier, Fereydoun Jiriani had told the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting about Kiarostami's condition: 'After the surgery Kiarostami underwent, he experienced severe bleeding and fell into a coma, but after the care he received, he has come out of the coma.' Nevertheless, Jiriani stated in another interview with Mehr news agency that some reports regarding the nature of Abbas Kiarostami's illness attributed to him are not confirmed. He said, 'My sources indicate that Mr. Kiarostami is doing well and has been discharged from the hospital.' He added, 'Certainly, the most accurate information about Abbas Kiarostami's condition can be obtained from his family, and I do not confirm the information published in one of the websites attributed to me, and regarding Mr. Kiarostami's illness, credible sources should comment, not me.' In a previous interview, Jiriani had mentioned the possibility of Kiarostami having colon cancer. Abbas Kiarostami, a 76-year-old director, is the only Iranian filmmaker to have won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for his film 'Taste of Cherry.' His films, including 'Through the Olive Trees,' 'Where Is the Friend's House?', 'Close-Up,' 'Life, and Nothing More,' 'Ten,' and 'Certified Copy,' have won numerous awards at international festivals. The Guardian published a report in 2011 listing the 40 greatest contemporary filmmakers in the world, placing Abbas Kiarostami sixth, above many renowned cinema figures such as David Cronenberg, David Fincher, Steven Soderbergh, Pedro Almodóvar, and Gus Van Sant. Besides cinema, Kiarostami is active in other artistic fields, including poetry, photography, installation, music, graphic design, and painting. His last film was 'Like Someone in Love,' made in 2012 in Japan with Japanese collaborators.