A TRIBUTE TO ABBAS KIAROSTAMI

With a heavy heart, I have to share the tragic demise of one of the best film directors known to the world of cinema. Abbas Kiarostami was a blessed soul. I learned about him through the poster of "The Wind Will Carry Us", which I saw hanging on the wall of our beloved director, Tareque Masud, who introduced me to Kiarostami and gave me a few DVDs to watch; and through Kiarostami, I grew fond of Cannes. Later on, I was extremely lucky to attend the Cannes film festival in 2014, where I had the opportunity to meet with Kiarostami as he was the president for the Cinéfondation and Selection and Short Films section. For eleven graceful days, I was in the presence of the humble being, enjoying the films in the line-up. He did not have the least bit of egotism being such an eminent personality. It is through the daily observation and interaction that I learnt what a down-to-earth and welcoming person he was. Unfortunately, I was not able to take a photograph with him to cherish the meeting, but his memory shall forever be alive in us through the wonderful films he contributed to mankind.

We share a few of Kiarostami's masterpieces with our readers, and if you did not have the opportunity to watch them, make sure you do, as you too will surely be mesmerized.

By Rafi Hossain