The Traveler

Part of the film series
Iranian New Wave 1960s-1970s (November 2 - 22, 2013)

The Traveler
Abbas Kiarostami. 1974. Iran. 74 min. B/W. 35mm. With English subtitles.  
Print courtesy of the Academy Film Archive.

A young boy in a provincial town is a diehard soccer fan. He steals, scams, lies, and skips school in order to gather enough money for an overnight bus trip to Tehran to watch his favorite team play. At times comical, the film is infused with poignancy as the camera lingers on this tough and yet vulnerable boy with deep affection. This self-assured work is an early testament to the brilliance of director Abbas Kiarostami, who is acclaimed for his affecting portrayal of children and philosophical study of human behavior. His celebrated works include Close Up (1990), Life, and Nothing More… (1992), and Certified Copy (2010).

Abbas Kiarostami (1940- ) is one of the world’s most celebrated film directors. He studied painting at Tehran University and began his career in painting, graphics, book illustration, and making commercials. He founded the film department of the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (a.k.a. Kanoon) which produced children-themed films and became the training ground for many filmmakers.
 

This film series is organized in conjunction with the Iran Modern exhibition, on view through January 5, 2014. Public programs held in conjunction with Iran Modern are made possible by support from the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art through Asia Society’s ongoing initiative Creative Voices of Muslim Asia. Additional support for Iran Modern programming is provided by the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, WLS Spencer Foundation and the American Institute of Iranian Studies.