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Experience & Waiting (12A) + ScreenTalk with director Amir Naderi

Masterpieces of the Iranian New Wave

,Cinema 1
A still from Waiting, showing a teenage boy sitting cross-legged, holding a dove. On the floor around him is a plate of food and a silver jug.

Two autobiographical coming-of-age tales showcase the early experiences of two New Wave masters – Abbas Kiarostami and Amir Naderi.

Abbas Kiarostami and Amir Naderi shared an office at Kanoon, the Iranian institution responsible for producing cultural goods, including films, for children and young adults. In Kiarostami’s first transition from short subjects to longer films, he collaborated with Amir Naderi (as co-writer) on Experience, a story reflecting Naderi’s own early days in Tehran after moving from southern Iran. 

A year later, Naderi’s directorial work Waiting marked a departure from the realism of his previous genre films, blending illusory images of his youth in the south with documentary moments. Both films radiate a euphoric view of life and cinema, fixating on light and movement, and dazzling viewers with their heightened sensory sensitivity.

Tagged with: Cinema Masterpieces of the Iranian New Wave

This screening will be followed be a ScreenTalk with director Amir Naderi, hosted by season curator Ehsan Khoshbakht.

Experience (Tajrobeh)

The story of a photography shop errand boy who falls in love with a client’s daughter showcases Kiarostami's minimalist and distanced style in full form. It stands out as one of his significant works exploring themes of desire and rejection.

1973 Iran dir Abbas Kiarostami 53 mins, in Persian with English subtitles

Waiting (Entezar)

A dialogue-free meditation on puberty and desire, this semi-autobiographical film shows Naderi at the peak of his purely visual storytelling. Shot in the old city of Bushehr in southern Iran, it follows an orphaned boy who fetches ice daily for his elderly guardians. He becomes infatuated with a girl, though he has only seen her hands.

1974 Iran dir Amir Naderi 46 mins, No dialogue

Cinema 1

Location
Barbican Cinema 1 is located within the main Barbican building on Level -2. Head to Level G and walk towards the Lakeside Terrace where you’ll find stairs and lifts to take you down to the venue floor.   

Address
Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London
EC2Y 8DS

Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.