Feb. 01, 1994|Iran | France|103 Min.|G
Genre: Drama
Description: Hossein Rezai portrays a stonemason who transitions into acting. While working on a film set, he proposes marriage to his co-star, Tahereh, a student who lost her parents in an earthquake. Due to his poverty and lack of education, Tahereh’s family rejects his proposal, finding it offensive. As a result, Tahereh avoids him, struggling to separate her real-life emotions from her role in the film. The story intertwines with the production of another film, *Life, and Nothing More…*, adding complexity to their relationship.
As Hossein continues to pursue Tahereh, the director becomes aware of the situation and offers him advice, shedding light on the root of their conflict. During filming, Tahereh successfully completes a scene while Hossein attempts to win her over, ultimately running after her as she walks away.
The film concludes with a distant shot of Tahereh finally responding to Hossein. As he runs through a green field back to the olive grove, the audience is left to interpret her answer. *Through the Olive Trees* received critical acclaim, particularly in France, and was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival. It also won the Espiga de Oro at the 1994 Seminci in Valladolid. The ambiguous ending has sparked widespread discussion and praise.
In the 2012 *Sight & Sound* poll, both critics and directors ranked *Through the Olive Trees* among the top 10 greatest films of all time. Although Miramax Films secured U.S. distribution rights and gave the film a limited theatrical release in 1995, it was never released on home video in America. The only U.S. home video release came as part of The Criterion Collection’s Blu-ray box set of the Koker Trilogy.
Cast director: Abbas Kiarostami
Cast actor: Mohammadali Keshavarz, Farhad Kheradmand, Zarifeh Shiva, Hossein Rezai, Tahereh Ladanian, Hocine Redai, Zahra Nourou, Nasret Betri, Azim Aziz Nia, Astadouli Babani
Original name: زیر درختان زیتون