Watch Where Is My Friend's House?

Where Is My Friend's House? is a critically acclaimed Iranian film from 1987, directed by Abbas Kiarostami. The film follows the journey of a young schoolboy, Ahmed, as he goes on a quest to return his classmate's notebook. The protagonist is just nine years old, and his journey through rural Iran is an odyssey that takes him through the villages of the Caspian Sea region.

The story revolves around Ahmad's search for his friend's home. After discovering that he has taken his friend’s notebook by mistake, Ahmad sets out to return it. However, he soon realizes that he has forgotten his friend’s address, which leads him on an adventure throughout the small village. During his search, he confronts various roadblocks and people, including ornery teachers, fretful shopkeepers, and bemused relatives. The film takes us on a journey of everyday life in rural Iran and the challenges that people face in navigating their environment.

As the day progresses, Ahmad becomes more and more desperate and anxious, fearing a potential beating by his teacher the next day if he fails to return the notebook. Despite this, he remains resilient and continues his search. Along the way, he meets various inhabitants of the village, some who offer him help and others who only cause further problems.

Throughout the film, the director chooses to highlight the stark and beautiful landscapes of rural Iran, and the struggles of its citizens. It is a bleak but realistic portrayal of the difficulties of life for the people who live in these areas, where even small problems can have significant consequences.

Kiarostami's use of long and uninterrupted takes brings a naturalistic feel to the film. As is typical of Iranian art films, the story is not action-packed, but instead, it focuses more on emotions, mundane details, and the human experience. The film is almost entirely shot from Ahmad's point of view, with the camera following him in close-ups, often capturing his facial expressions of fear and despair.

The performances in the film are noteworthy, especially from the two child actors who play the lead roles of Ahmad and his classmate. They manage to convey their emotions so effectively that we can feel their despair when they are unable to locate one another. The supporting actors also turn in strong performances, adding to the film's consistently captivating tone.

Where Is My Friend's House is a film that has been lauded for its simplicity, realism, and humanity. It is a quiet, introspective work that takes us on a journey through the eyes of a nine-year-old boy searching for his friend. The film offers a profound vision of the world as it is, a world where people must adapt to the harshness of their environments, and often navigate it alone. Kiarostami explores this theme with compassion and insight, and the result is a moving, engaging film that has become a classic of Iranian cinema.