Day 45: Taste of Cherry (1997)

“Taste of Cherry,” by the internationally acclaimed Iranian film director Abbas Kiarostami, is a minimalistic depiction of man and his relationship to life, both as one who experiences it, but also gives and takes it away. Through the film’s events, we are given the opportunity to watch and better understand what our duty to life is and question if taking it away can sometimes be the ultimate celebration of its purpose.

In “Taste of Cherry,” we follow Mr. Badii (Homayon Ershadi), a middle-aged well-to-do, who drives his Range Rover around Tehran in search of the right man for a special job. For Badii plans to kill himself with sleeping pills and, to perform such a task in the cleanest, simplest way possible, he’ll lay in a already dug grave at night and fall asleep. But, to completely erase him from existence, he will need a willing soul to arrive the next morning and throw a few spadefuls of dirt on his lifeless body or help him out of the hole if the pills don’t finish him off. To put lightly, requiting such a person proves to be difficult.

At first he picks up a young Kurdish solider, needing a ride to his base, who grows terrified at such an assignment and, though Badii plans to pay his helper handsomely, he jumps out of the car and runs away. Next, Badii meets an Afghan man who currently attends seminary and, though he doesn’t run off like the solider, he declines the offer on religious grounds, stating that the beauty of life is to be found in all things and it is simply too precious to throw away. Finally, Badii meets an older Azeri taxidermist, who tries, at first, to dissuade him of his plans, but soon agrees to the arrangement as the money could be used to save his sick child. During their time together, the taxidermist does tell Badii a personal story of when he himself once thought of suicide but changed his mind after tasting the juice of a mulberry. The story does move Badii, but he is sure that he wants to end his life and the taxidermist agrees to arrive the next morning- whether to rescue or bury Badii is still unseen.

Throughout “Taste of Cherry,” director Kiarostami uses his camera to capture an almost parable like story that certainly holds a meaning, but leaves it open for interpretation as well. One of the most interesting aspects of the film though are the occupations of the men Badii picks up along his search and how their work holds an interesting relationship with the film’s focus on life and, ultimately, death.

With the soldier, we see a person employed to kill if necessary. It is is job, his duty, and the idea of taking life is something very real to him. With the Afghan seminarist, we have an individual who is an advocate for life to the point where he holds a belief system based around the importance of cherishing every moment of it. Lastly, we have a taxidermist, who’s whole profession is in replicating the idea of the living- taking something dead and creating a facade based on life.

Interestingly enough, he comes closest to changing the mind of Badii possibly because he lives a in constant balance between life and death, something that might best represent the thought process of a man contemplating ending it all. Also, it should be noted, that by helping Badii, the taxidermist hopes to use the money to save another, his child. It is this interesting bit that begs the question, “Is it alright to help aid death in the attempt to bring life?” A heavy question and one the film leaves open for the audience to think on.

With a this film we are given a very simple film that digests a rather complex topic in a very quiet and wonderful way. ”Taste of Cherry” is something no one should miss and all should think on.

To learn more about “Taste of Cherry,” check out Criterion’s page here.

If you would like updated on all things Nathan and “The Criterion Summer,” check out our Facebook page here.