TASTE OF LIFE AND DEATH

TASTE OF CHERRY

(Ta'm e guilass)

1997

Director:Abbas Kiarostami

The story of a man (Mr. Badii) searching his associate in suicide. Although the theme revolves around death, the most impressive moments are the ones concerning the celebration and appreciation of life.

 "If you look at the four seasons, each season brings fruit. In summer, there's fruit, in autumn, too. Winter brings different fruit and spring, too. No mother can fill her fridge with such a variety of fruit for her children. No mother can do as much for her children as God does for His creatures. You want to refuse all that? You want to give it all up? You want to give up the taste of cherries? 

This is a part of Mr. Bagheri's monologue held in Mr. Badii's car. Mr. Bagheri is the one who agrees to help Badii in his intention, because he really needs the money. Although another person's life depends on that money, Mr. Bagheri still wants to persuade Badii to keep on with his life. That life is something worth of keeping. 

A spectator might assume that this beautiful metaphor of richness and diversity of life will talk Mr. Badii out of his intentions. Viewer might think that Mr. Bagheri will convince him that there are always reasons to live and carry on. 

However, Mr. Badii is not convinced, he proceeds with his intentions and lays in his prepared grave. This is the penultimate scene in the movie. 

The movie ends oddly, to a certain extent. The movie ends with a meta-cinematic scene: film crew on the set making this movie. By using this scene, the director wants to remind the spectator that this is still just a movie. He probably wants to distant the viewer and himself from the protagonist because he does not want for anyone to identify with Mr. Badii. 

The director cannot approve Mr. Badii's decision, because approving suicide would imply supporting it, which is not commendable. On the other hand, he lets him do it which implies  the director's respect of Mr. Badii's choice.