The Traveler
dir. Abbas Kiarostami · 1974
Feature
Coming of Age
Mood
Contemplative / Melancholic
Look
naturalistic, with a focus on everyday life in a small Iranian town
Structure
episodic, following the protagonist's interactions and schemes
Plot
Hassan Darabi, a troublesome, amoral 10-year-old boy in a small Iranian town wishes to see the Iran national football team play an important match in Tehran. In order to achieve that, he scams his friends and neighbors.
Why watch
A boy named Hassan Darabi navigates the complexities of childhood in a small Iranian town, driven by a singular desire to see the national football team play. As he schemes and deceives those around him to achieve his goal, the film captures the innocence and moral ambiguity of youth. Watching it feels like a gentle stroll through the nuances of childhood, where dreams collide with the harsh realities of life.
Talking points
- the ethics of childhood deception
- the impact of socio-economic status on youth
- the role of sports in shaping identity
- the complexities of growing up in a constrained environment
Cultural context
Iranian socio-political landscape of the 1970sthe significance of football in Iranian culturechildhood experiences in a conservative society