Où est la maison de mon ami?

A true masterpiece. When I watched it in 2015, 28 years after the movie was made, I am ashamed of my time wasted watching Hollywood movies, which had no substance. I watched movies when it was box office hits. This movie showed me what life is, what movie making is all about, how to tell a story. I felt human life to my bare bones. I feel I'm human again. The slow moving pace of the movie , is amazingly engaging, as I was absorbed in the child's journey as if it my own. I wish more parents, teachers and elders would watch it. In this age, we lack empathy, hence we lost touch with our human values. This movie is a masterpiece.

I'm sorry I've seen this movie doubled in Spanish and not subtitled in Portuguese but, even so, I found it lovely. It is all about how children live in the adult's world and how they perceive and deal with them. It is also about how children can understand each other and help each other to survive the power and rules of adults. It is filmed very closely to the children which means we see the adults, houses, streets and landscapes from their point of view. The story is very well written, playing very wisely with our expectations. It is an almost timeless and universal story but the where and when it happens is brilliant.

Actually it's hard to find any more words to define this masterpiece than the ones in the title of this review. If you are looking for something that would make you feel like you're reading a classic short story rather than watching a film, then this one is right that film. When you watch a film you have the vision, the sound, the effects, the music; almost nothing's left to your imagination and you watch the film effortlessly. Eventually, the story is misted over. On the other hand, in Khane-ye doust kodjast?, Kiarostami with his fascinating simplicity, takes you deep into a world of childish innocence. Everything from acting to cameras, is full of that precious amateur feeling. You actually feel amazed when you see how well Kiarostami managed to get such natural acting from a cast of all non-professional actors. Each character, each scene is tailored with Kiarostami's masterful observations. The film is so purely simple that, for a second, I even wished we didn't even have the music that plays only in two scenes, though I loved it. I personally believe, it really is a piece of art than a film.

This was my first Kiarostami's movie. There could not be a better one. Some trademarks of his movies are minimal dialogs, slow pace, purposeful and realistic acting. Many conversations happen during the ride on a car moving at gentle speed. A stark contrast of what we are used to. Yet, his movies touch you right in the heart. You get very involved with the characters. His movies never get overtly sentimental. He remarked in an interview that he doesn't like to cheat with the audiences.

"Where is the Friend's Home?" offers an insight into the simplistic and innocent world of childhood. Adults do not really see and appreciate that world. Watching this movie is a completely different experience. And writing a lot about this movie does not make a lot of sense. You can hardly wait to watch "And Life Goes on".

A must watch if you are into the art of beautiful cinema.

A magnificent and unforgettable film with prodigious moments where you really wonder how the director did shoot some moments in such an intimate way without being noticed or without making the presence of the camera a problem. It's a poem (to friendship, honesty, childhood, purity) more than a movie.