Through The Olive Trees- Abbas Kiarostami Jun 2026

We have been watching two specks on a screen for several minutes, utterly captivated, desperate for resolution—and Kiarostami denies us even that much. The only answer is the one we choose to supply ourselves.

At the heart of the film is Hossein, a local stonemason-turned-actor, who is desperately in love with his co-star, Tahereh.

The film’s climax—or rather, its anti-climax—is one of the most celebrated moments in world cinema. After an agonizingly patient sequence in which Hossein follows Shiva through the olive trees, the camera remains distant. We, the viewers, are left to interpret the result of his courtship through movement, silhouette, and distance, rather than clear resolution.

The trouble begins before the cameras roll. Hossein is desperately in love with Tahereh in real life, but Tahereh, who is illiterate like his own family, refuses to speak to him outside of their scripted lines. Throughout the film, between endless retakes of the same simple scene, we watch as Hossein tries to use the film as a vehicle to declare his love, while the exasperated director tries to get them to simply look into each other’s eyes convincingly. In one of the film’s most endearing and humorous moments, the director tells Hossein to ask his on-screen wife to find his socks. Hossein delivers the line with such real-world awkwardness that the director, noticing Tahereh’s distress, then leans in and assures her, "In real life, I would never ask you to find my socks". Through the olive trees- Abbas Kiarostami

One dot stopped. The other caught up. They stood together for a breathless, microscopic moment in the frame.

The film tells the story of a young man, Hossain, who lives with his mother in a rural village. Hossain's love for a local woman, Tahereh, is unrequited, and she instead begins a relationship with another man, Ayoub. The film's narrative is divided into three distinct parts: a fictional love story, a documentary-style segment featuring real villagers, and a final section that blends fiction and reality. This non-linear storytelling approach creates a dreamlike atmosphere, drawing the viewer into the world of the film.

Kiarostami masterfully crafts the narrative so that the audience is never quite sure where the "scripted" scenes end and the "true" interactions begin. This creates a "reel" narrative that probing the premise of reality—a signature of Kiarostami's philosophical approach to cinema. Themes and Style: Silence and Scenery We have been watching two specks on a

A comparison of how is shown across the Koker Trilogy

: The "behind-the-scenes" drama follows Hossein, a local stonemason turned actor, and his persistent pursuit of his co-star, Tahereh. Off-camera, Tahereh refuses to speak to him because he is poor and illiterate, a rejection supported by her grandmother. Minimalist Aesthetic

The film's cinematography is breathtaking, with Kiarostami's signature use of long takes and static shots that capture the serene beauty of the Iranian landscape. The camera lingers on the olive trees, the rolling hills, and the rustic village homes, creating a sense of timelessness and stillness. The use of natural light and the subtle play of shadows add to the film's poetic and introspective mood. The film’s climax—or rather, its anti-climax—is one of

The Art of the Gaze: Reality and Romance in Abbas Kiarostami’s Through the Olive Trees

: A semi-documentary journey of a director returning to Koker after the earthquake to find the actors from the first film.

Kiarostami uses the stubborn courtship to dissect rigid Iranian social structures. Tahereh’s conservative grandmother rejects Hossein because he lacks a house and an education.

We cannot hear them. The distance is too great. We only see Hossein’s gesticulating desperation and Tahereh’s steady, walking refusal. The soundtrack is filled only with the chirping of birds and the wind—the sounds of the world continuing, indifferent to the heartbreak below.