Abbas Kiarostami planted Iran firmly on the map of world cinema when he won the Palme d'Or
at the Cannes film festival for his film A Taste of Cherry in 1997. In this book Hamid Dabashi
examines the growing reputation of Iranian cinema from its origins in the films of Kimiyai and
Mehrjui, through the work of established directors such as Kiarostami, Beyzai and Bani-Etemad,
to young filmmakers like Samira Makhmalbaf and Bahman Qobadi, who triumphed at the Cannes 2000
festival. Dabashi combines exclusive interviews with directors, detailed and insightful commentary,
critical cultural context, an extensive filmography, and generous illustration to provide an
indispensable guide to a globally celebrated but little-studied cinematic genre.