“Its final image is one of such profound beauty that it rivals the iconic freeze-frame ending of Truffaut's The 400 BLOWS, perfectly capturing the sublime, gossamer belief in basic human kindness inherent in childhood.” - Mattie Lucas, From the Front Row
Friday, July 18, 9:00 a.m. | In Abbas Kiarostami’s splendid WHERE IS THE FRIEND’S HOUSE?, a young boy named Ahmed accidentally takes home his classmate Reza’s notebook, and—knowing Reza will be expelled if he shows up to school the next day without it—sets off to find his home to return it. Kiarostami transforms this seemingly simple errand into an epic hero’s journey, as Ahmed determinedly climbs hills and asks strangers for directions, steadfast in his mission to help his classmate. The first film in Kiarostami’s wonderous Koker Trilogy (followed by AND LIFE GOES ON and THROUGH THE OLIVE TREES), WHERE IS THE FRIEND’S HOUSE? is a delicate and divine fable of altruism, friendship, and kindness, and a gentle reminder that even the smallest of gestures can have an enormous impact. If you haven’t cried happy tears in awhile, this screening should do the trick.
Awards & Nominations
Winner - Bronze Leopard, Locarno Film Festival
Rise & Shine | July 1–30, 2025
Moviegoing is generally reserved for nights and weekends, but when you see a film first thing in the morning, there is a life-changing potentiality. Mere hours after you’ve opened your eyes to the day, the Film Center invites you to open your eyes in an entirely different way with a morning screening of soul-altering cinema. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed—scientists say we’re most alert around 9:00 a.m.—play the slightest bit of hooky with us, after which you will emerge onto the hustle and bustle of State Street feeling energized, maybe even with your humanity restored, and all before lunchtime! Rise & Shine generously supported by Taylor Champion.
As a bonus, enjoy complimentary coffee included with your ticket, courtesy of Dark Matter Coffee; and get 10% off your order at any Goddess and the Baker location in the city when you show your Rise & Shine ticket July 1 through 30. What a way to start the day!
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu