Through the Olive Trees
dir. Abbas Kiarostami · 1995
Plot
The movie focuses on one of the events in Zendegi va digar hich (1992), and explores the relationship between the movie director, and the actors. The local actors play a couple who got married right after the earthquake. In reality, the actor is trying to persuade the actress that they should get married.
Why watch
A film crew gathers in a rural Iranian village, where a director attempts to coax a local actress into a deeper commitment, both on and off the screen. As the lines between their roles blur, the audience is drawn into a world where love is expressed through hesitant glances and unspoken words. Watching it feels like wandering through a sun-drenched olive grove, where every moment is steeped in quiet reflection and the weight of unfulfilled desires.
Talking points
- the nature of love and commitment
- the role of art in personal relationships
- the impact of natural disasters on communities
- the relationship between actor and character