Where Is the Friend’s House? (Abbas Kiarostami, 1987)

Where is the Friend’s House?" marks the beginning of Abbas Kiarostami's Koker Trilogy, a series of three interconnected films set in a northern Iranian village called Koker.

The film starts in a classroom. As the teacher enters the room, the chaotic atmosphere suddenly becomes silent. He scolds a boy named Nematzadeh for doing his homework on a piece of paper rather than in a notebook once again. Nematzadeh explains that he forgot his notebook at his cousin's house. The teacher tears the paper into pieces and warns him that he will be expelled from school if he does this again. Little Nematzadeh breaks into tears, helpless and alone. Ahmad, sitting next to Nematzadeh, watches everything.

When Ahmad returns home after school, he realizes he has mistakenly taken his friend Nematzadeh's notebook. He worries that Nematzadeh will have to do his homework on paper again tomorrow and face the teacher’s punishment or expulsion. Ahmad decides to return the notebook to Nematzadeh, who lives in Poshteh, a village some distance from Koker, where Ahmad resides.

Adults and children think differently. Ahmad tries to explain the situation to his mother, who is busy taking care of the baby and washing clothes. His mother says, “Give it back tomorrow.”

But Ahmad, remembering his friend’s suffering in class, decides to return the notebook immediately. For him, it’s a mission driven by innocence and empathy. However, he doesn’t know exactly where Nematzadeh lives in Poshteh. When his mother isn’t looking, little Ahmad sets off, running across the zigzagging paths up the hill toward his friend’s village. The instrumental music in the background enhances the beauty of this scene.

Most of the film’s runtime is spent on Ahmad’s search for Nematzadeh’s house. He asks several people for directions and receives conflicting answers, making the journey tough for an eight-year-old boy. He gets lost, knocking on several doors, but he still cannot find his friend’s house.

Eventually, Ahmad meets an old carpenter who offers to help him find Nematzadeh’s house. This final sequence conveys a sense of fear, uncertainty, and hope. The blend of sound, lighting, and atmosphere makes this scene a cinematic masterpiece.

Ahmad returns home at night, unsuccessful in his mission. That night, he completes Nematzadeh’s homework for him in the notebook. The next day at school, in the same classroom with the same teacher, Ahmad quietly returns Nematzadeh’s notebook. “I did your homework for you,” he whispers.

When the teacher checks Nematzadeh’s notebook, he signs the last page. On the page, along with a child’s Persian handwriting, is a little flower sketched by the old carpenter. This moment captures total simplicity and pure joy.

Few films feel as real as this one. Kiarostami paints a profound picture of the younger and older generations, highlighting their inability or disinterest in truly understanding one another.