TEHRAN – Abbas Kiarostami’s acclaimed film “Where Is the Friend’s House?”, produced by the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (Kanoon), will be screened in the Focus Iran section of the 46th Amiens International Film Festival in France.
The 1987 film is part of a special program dedicated to Iranian cinema, bringing together a selection of landmark works by established filmmakers and directors from newer generations.
“Where Is the Friend’s House?” tells the story of an eight-year-old boy, Ahmad, who accidentally takes home his classmate’s school notebook. Determined to return it before his friend faces punishment for failing to complete his homework, Ahmad sets out to find the boy’s home in a neighboring village.
What begins as a simple search develops into a journey through the winding streets and rural landscapes of northern Iran, as Ahmad encounters adults who often fail to understand the urgency of his mission. Through the child’s perspective, Kiarostami explores themes of responsibility, friendship and compassion, turning an everyday incident into a deeply human story.
The film is widely regarded as one of the significant works of Iranian cinema and the first installment in Kiarostami’s Koker Trilogy, followed by “And Life Goes On” (1992) and “Through the Olive Trees” (1994).
