Abbas Kiarostami: A Report

Arguably the finest director in the history of Iranian cinema and an acknowledged titan of global cinema, filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami has created a lasting canon of sublime, often challenging films. Bahman Maghsoudlou's documentary centers on the early stages of Kiarostami's career, focusing in particular on the 1977 production of The Report, Kiarostami's first feature-length work. Made during the years just prior to the rise of Islamic theocracy, The Report examined moral and emotional complications in the tale of a tax collector caught up in bribery while trying to save his dying marriage. The film was something of a challenge for Kiarostami—most notably because it was the first time he worked with synchronized sound, thus requiring a fidelity to the screenplay that was unnecessary in earlier short films. The Report clearly has its supporters; Maghsoudlou brings in such notables as film festival programmer Richard Peña and critics Godfrey Cheshire and the late Andrew Sarris to discuss its importance. Also interviewed here are the film's stars, Kurosh Afsharpanah and Shohreh Aghdashloo. Of course, it would probably help if viewers were familiar with The Report (which can be found as a special feature on the Criterion Collection's release of Kiarostami's 2010 film Certified Copy). Recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)