Taste of Cherry (Ta'm e Guilass)
Retrospective of a Cinematic Master
/ Feature Narrative / Iran / 1997 / Colour
In Persian / Arabic, English subtitles
No Premiere
Rated: Parental guidance is advised. Some material may be inappropriate for young children.
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Synopsis
Life, Kiarostami suggests in this wonderfully contemplative film, is beautiful even in its despair, and it should be embraced to the last. ‘Taste of Cherry’ is the story of Mr. Badii, who drives somewhat aimlessly through the outskirts of Tehran and the surrounding hillside. He approaches several men, offering them a substantial amount of money to take on an unidentified task. Eventually, it becomes clear what Badii seeks: someone to cover his body with earth tomorrow morning, for he intends to commit suicide tonight.
In a trope that Kiarostami eventually uses more strictly in ‘10’, here much of the action takes place inside the car. The bulk of the film consists of three conversations with men whom Badii hopes will assist him. In turn, a soldier, a monk-in-training and a museum lecturer offer their reasons not to take on the task, as well as reasons that Badii should reconsider and embrace life and all the mess that goes along with it.
‘Taste of Cherry’ is full of life’s tiny, uplifting moments – when Badii’s car gets stuck on a dirt road, for example, a cheerful gang of workers flock to free it; and the museum lecturer’s explanation that it was eating a mulberry that diverted him from his own suicidal pact is extremely moving. Kiarostami makes it clear that we should celebrate and cling to life, but not for reasons of material, spiritual or ontological regulation; rather because of its moments of joy and beauty, however fleeting.