I’ve thought of Director Abbas Kiarostami’s film Taste of Cherry constantly, since watching it last week. It’s surprising how much it has stayed with me.
The story of the film follows a suicidal Iranian man named Mr. Badii, played with perfection by Homayoun Ershadi. Mr. Badii drives around the outskirts of Tehran searching for someone, anyone, he can pay to bury his body after he takes his own life.
During the course of this day long journey, Mr. Badii picks up a handful of people and they engage in conversations about life, death, and suicide. Most of these scenes play out through long takes within the vehicle or through voice over shots of the truck driving around the desolate Iranian countryside, the busy city in background.
We do not know why Mr. Badii wants to commit suicide. The why doesn’t really matter. It’s this situational vagueness that allows the discussions to focus on bigger issues. What is sin? What makes life worth living?
The landscape is a perfect mirror for his inner world. Barren mountains. Winding dirt roads. People picking through garbage. It’s a remote and dangerous area under construction.
The cinematography and shot selection is simple and effective. The lighting almost always appears as if it is nearing sunset. Beautiful and fleeting. Another perfect mirror.
Through his conversations, we begin to understand that Mr. Batii is also looking for someone to save him. If they won’t change his mind then the least they can do is bury him, or so he tells himself.
At the end of the day, this dark journey of Mr. Badii’s is actually one of hope. You see it in his eyes and the tone of his voice as he gets to know each passenger and their beliefs.
He wants to connect and live. He’s looking for a reason.
I loved this movie but we all know that timing is everything. To be blunt, the re-election of Trump and the days since has sent my depression soaring, so the timing of this film finding me was perfection. If you’ve ever been depressed, or no someone with depression, you’ll likely gain a lot from watching Taste of Cherry.
I felt so connected to this story, both as a simple viewer and as a fledgling filmmaker. It was inspiring to see such a simple but creative way of telling a story. A meaningful experience on many levels.
There is so much you could dive into on this film, from casting, to location, to religion, to the incredibly ambiguous ending. Sheesh, that ending. I will not spoil here, but I honestly had to do a bit of reading afterward to see what the director was attempting. It’s really interesting.
I would welcome a conversation in the comments from anyone who has seen Taste of Cherry and would like to discuss the film. I’d love to hear your point of view.
Cinematic Point Of View 
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