The filmmakers behind the Brazilian reinterpretation of Abbas Kiarostami’s Taste Of Cherry have explained the challenges of revisiting a much-loved classic.
Wagner Moura, the Brazilian actor who garnered an Oscar nomination for The Secret Agent, stars in Argentinian filmmaker Lisandro Alonso’s Portuguese-language adaptation of the 1997 Iranian Palme d’Or winner, which is in post-production in Brazil.
Produced by Brazilian producer Vania Catani of Bananeira Filmes, with Cunhã Porã and Paris Entretenimento, the film has a working title of The Scent Of The Pitanga (O Aroma Da Pitanga).
“It took me a little while to accept the idea,” said Kiarostami’s son Ahmad Kiarostami, who is an executive producer on the film. “But after I did, I told Lisandro that this is his film so he makes all the decisions. Taste Of Cherry is a universal story and is not bound to a certain geography or even time.’’
The choice of a local tropical fruit – the pitanga from the myrtle family – already signals this is not a straightforward remake. Rather, it is a reinterpretation of the story of a middle-aged man driving around the outskirts of Tehran asking strangers to do him a favour, which invites the audience to reflect on the value of life.
“I don’t need to see this new film necessarily as a fit into my father’s work. This is a different film, made by a different director,’’ Kiarostami said. “But I believe Lisandro has the right sensitivity. He’s brave enough not to follow the norm of cinema, which is an important part of the original film.’’
Catani underlines this new take is being made by admirers of Kiarostami’s cinema. “It’s a humble tribute, with the hope of encouraging new generations to discover the greatness of his body of work,” says the producer.
Budgeted at $1.8m, the film was shot in Palmas, the capital city of Tocantins state in the North Region of Brazil. It is set to be delivered in early 2027.
Common sensibilities
Kiarostami believes Brazil is perfect for a new take on Taste Of Cherry. “We share a lot of qualities. I love Brazil and its warm and friendly culture,’’ he said, adding that he first visited the country with his father in 2004 when he was honoured with a retrospective at Mostra de São Paulo.
“We kept telling each other that being in Brazil felt like being with family, even though we didn’t speak the language.”
He will participate in a panel discussion with Alonso and Catani as part of the 50th Mostra de São Paulo at the São Paulo Museum of Image and Sound (MIS) on October 24. It will be preceded by the screening of two works directed by Kiarostami in 2016, the year he died: Take Me Home, a visual essay in short format, and 24 Frames, a documentary that explores his fascination with photography.
As part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Mostra, MIS also hosts the exhibition Steps – Unpublished Photographs By Abbas Kiarostami, featuring 60 black-and-white images of stairways photographed by the director around the world.
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