Press Release

ON THE ROADS OF KIAROSTAMI
Cinema / photography / video / poetry
Curators: Alberto Barbera, Elisa Resegotti

Torino, 18 September - 12 October, 2003

Kiarostami is not just yet another new author who has changed our way of seeing cinema and the world. As a Renaissance artist, he is a "total" author, able to express himself through diverse languages and means, and each time he remains true to himself and his favourite themes.

The Torino tribute - organized by the Museo Nazionale del Cinema together with the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo and the Scuola Holden- Tecniche della narrazione and with the support of the City of Torino, the Province of Torino and the Piedmont Region - presents a collection and documentation of the complete works of Kiarostami, which covers the various fields of his artistic creativity, based on a project by Elisa Resegotti.

On the roads of Kiarostami draws on the title chosen by the author for his new theme photographic series, to indicate, metaphorically speaking, a choice of itineraries to follow in the Torino tribute: from cinema to photography, from video to poetry, moving through technological experimentation and training.

The tribute offers:

• a complete retrospective of all his films
  the first true "uncut" version of Kiarostami's cinema works, including films which have never been shown outside of Iran. All his films (30 works, including short and feature films) will be presented in their original versions, with subtitles in Italian and English. The show will be completed by a wide selection of films and documentaries dedicated to Kiarostami and his works;
• two photographic shows never seen before
  Photography has become increasingly more important in Kiarostami's work, asserting itself as an independent means of expression. In contrast with the surprising chromatic variety used in his previous photographs (greeted with success in exhibits in Rome, Paris, New York, Tokyo and numerous other cities), is Kiarostami's more classic and austere use of black and white in his most recent photographic production.
  The first series, 34 Untitled Photographs, is printed on canvas, in a large format (200 x 140). The second series, The Roads of Kiarostami, includes 60 photographs taken between 1978 and 2003, printed on paper in a 33 x 48 cm. format. Both series are being shown for the first time ever;
• two video-installations
  in addition to Sleepers, produced by the Venice Biennial Exhibition for the visual arts show in 2001, the unreleased Ten Minutes Older (10', 2003), will also be shown for the first time ever;
• an unreleased series of digital short films
  collected under the title The Lagoon and the Moon, a collection of short works, each one composed of one shot which lasts from 3 to 30 minutes, made by Kiarostami with his DV camera;
• a ten-day workshop:
  reserved for 25 young filmmakers and videomakers selected from a national competition, it will last for a total of 80 hours. In the workshop for film directing, short films will be made, using completely digital technology;
• a new collection of poetry:
  after the success of his first collection, With the wind (published in Italian, English, French and Japanese), a new collection entitled A Wolf on the Lurk, published by Einaudi for the first time ever.

Kiarostami is the title of a book, richly illustrated which contains unpublished essays (by Alain Bergala, Jean-Michel Frodon, Marin Karmitz, Marco Vallora), interviews and statements by the author, a complete filmography and bibliography, which helps to guide even an inexpert reader through the creative world of one of the most important contemporary artists.
The catalogue, edited by Alberto Barbera e Elisa Resegotti, is published by Electa.

The festival has taken advantage of the valuable assistance offered by MK2, BIM, Galerie de Frence, Kanoun and Nasrine Mishrab.