Through The Olive Trees- Abbas Kiarostami (Trusted)

The setting is a landscape of dualities. On one side of the frame, you see the jagged, grey scars of collapsed concrete and shattered brick. On the other, you see the impossibly green, rolling hills of the Caspian coast, punctuated by ancient olive groves. This visual paradox is not accidental. Kiarostami is suggesting that life—and art—exists in the liminal space between utter devastation and serene beauty. The earthquake has leveled houses, but it cannot uproot the trees, nor the stubborn rituals of courtship.

Kiarostami expertly challenges the notion of "realism" in cinema. By having real people play versions of themselves and incorporating the filming process into the story, he forces the audience to question what is genuine. The Power of Love and Persistence Through the olive trees- Abbas Kiarostami

The story focuses on Hossein, a local bricklayer turned actor, and Tahereh, his wealthy co-star. In the film within the film, they play a newly married couple. In reality, Hossein is deeply in love with Tahereh and has proposed to her. However, Tahereh’s grandmother rejected him because he is illiterate and owns no house. The Set Dynamics The setting is a landscape of dualities