The Taste of Cherry

views updated

The Taste of Cherry ★★ Ta'm e Guilass; Taste of Cherries 1996

Despairing, middle-aged Mr. Badii (Ershadi) is contemplating suicide and looking for someone who will bury his corpse discreetly. (He's already dug his own shallow grave in the countryside.) He drives through the streets and picks up several different men—all of whom remind him that suicide goes against the teachings of Islam. Finally, one old Turkish man relates his own story of attempted suicide and seemingly persuades Badii to rethink his actions. 95m/C VHS, DVD . IA Homayon Ershadi, Abdolrahma Bagheri, Afshin Bakhtiari; D: Abbas Kiarostami; W: Abbas Kiarostami; C: Homayun Payvar. Cannes ‘97: Film; Natl. Soc. Film Critics ‘98: Foreign Film.