Through the Olive Trees

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21 - Priyan B @Priyan Jan 30 It was good but not what I expected. Rating: 6.4/10 See more Dave S 10/30/2024 While it may not be as emotionally engaging as the first two films in Abbas Kiarostami’s Koker Trilogy, Through the Olive Trees may be richer thematically. The concept is interesting – a director, a semi-fictionalized version of Kiarostami, is on location in earthquake-ravaged northern Iran shooting a film called And Life Goes On, the second movie in the trilogy. However, problems arise when two actors have difficulty executing their scenes due to an existing relationship in real life. It is a film about the blurred line between art and reality, how interpersonal relationships are impacted by socioeconomic issues, and the process of moviemaking. It’s strongly recommended to see the first two films in the trilogy to fully grasp Through the Olive Trees and its commentary on human resilience in the face of tragedy. Beautifully executed throughout, events culminate in a beautiful final shot that will resonate long after the film ends. See more William L 02/04/2021 Kiarostami's distinct combination of meta-filmmaking and humanism brought to a sharpened point, featuring all of his distinct filmmaking tools: repetition, blurring of the lines between fiction and reality, and life imitating art. A fantastic piece of work that sees the director take aim at a classic romantic formula (man pursuing woman with societal restrictions) with a distinctly Iranian identity and told in the master's unique style, in complement to his previous works on the purity of childhood innocence and the resilience of those facing disaster. The film is an exercise in restraint, repetition, and finding significance in the cumulative effect of small moments rather than overwrought bursts of emotion. Beautifully shot and vividly colorful, lest we forget that Kiarostami's auteur-level control over narrative development and scene design were his only strengths. It's difficult to justify placing this film in the 1001 Movies without including the other two entries in the Koker Trilogy; without them, the film isn't nearly as complete of an experience. After three feature films' worth of people and vehicles climbing hills using distinctively Z-shaped paths, watching Hossein abandon that convention after his dogged pursuit of Tahereh is a sublime experience. (5/5) See more 07/24/2020 Thematically, Through the Olive Trees is undeniably rich. As a film in and of itself however, it's moderately flimsy. Of the three films included in this so-called Koker Trilogy, this is the one that stands alone the least successfully. Although technically one needs to see the two films that directly envelope it, much of the richness of the story, if taken out of context, would be reduced to the tale of a poor young non-actor trying to get the girl while making a movie. As compelling as Through the Olive Trees can be in Kiarosami's, that's the film's take-it-or-leave-it ultimatum. See more S R @ScottR 02/24/2018 1001 movies to see before you die. Artsy and tedious, but in an Iranian way. It was on CRI. See more 10/06/2014 Excellent film. Highly recommended. Must watch. See more Read all reviews

Through the Olive Trees

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