Through the Olive Trees

---

I'm Mohamed Ali Keshavarz,

the actor who plays the director.

The other actors

were hired on location.

We're in Koker,

about 400 kilometers

no, 350 kilometers

north of Teheran,

where an earthquake

destroyed everything last year

The girls are hungry,

they've still got a long way to go.

Can we speed it up a bit?

We have come to this rebuilt school

to choose a young actress.

I'm sorry, I'm late.

What's your name?

Mehri Ziai

- What's your name?

- Sima Ali Mohammadi

- What?

- Sima Ali Mohammadi

- And you?

- Lela Naghipour.

- You, what's your name?

- Tahereh Ladanian.

Mrs. Shiva,

note down this girl's address.

- Your address?

- Near the Lakeh bazaar.

- Your name?

- Tahereh Ladanian

- Your address

Near the Lakeh bazaar.

- You, what's your name?

- Fariba Jafari

- What class?

- Mrs. Shiva, note down her name too.

- And you?

- Nazila Khadem

Mrs. Shiva, note her name.

- Your address?

- I haven't got a real address

But where do you live?

Rostam-Abbad, in Jalalye.

It's cold.

What's your name?

Zinat Hassanpour

You're all out of line!

Where will you show it?

You're filming us...

Oh, what does it matter?

You won't show it.

- You mean, on TV?

- Yes

You're right.

But is that any reason

not to film?

Aren't you going to show it to us?

Your last film went out on Channel 2,

which we can't get here. Why bother?

What do you say?

Do we film or not?

We film!

We film!

But you'll have to show it!

Yes, you'll have to show it!

- What's your name again?

- Tahereh.

Tahereh what?

Poursadeghi

Mrs. Shiva, note her name too.

Say your name again.

Your address?

You, what's your name?

Zahra Djenab.

- From where?

- Rostam-Abbad.

- How old are you?

- 15.

Mrs. Shiva, note down her name.

- Your name?

- Zahra Dejnab.

- Your address?

- Rostam-Abbad, in Koker.

Through the Olive Trees

a film directed by

Abbas Kiarostami

Starring Mohammad-Ali Keshavarz

Farhad Kheradmand Zanifah Shefd

Hossein Rezai Tahereh

Ladanian and Mahhanon Darabi

Title design:
Farshid Masghali

Photographer:
Ali-Reza Ansarian

Assistant Director: Djafar Panahi

Script:
Guiti Khammal

Mixer:
Changiz Sayyad

Sound engineers:
Mahmoud Samakbashi

Yadollah Najafi and Hossein Moradi

Director of photography:

Hossein Djafarian

Written, produced and directed by:

ABBAS KIAROSTAMI

Historical calendar:

Today is Sunday

year 1372 in the solar Hegira

or the 8th in the month of Zihadjeh,

year 1413 in the lunar Hegira

or also May 30, 1993.

on a day like this,

in year 60...

- Hello

- Hello

- Are you well?

- Yes, thank you.

Were you going on foot?

I'd given up waiting for you,

so I started walking

to catch up with the minibus.

We worked late last night

and it was hard getting up.

This is what you asked for.

Chalk?

Yes, but not the chalk you wanted.

This was made by the students.

They didn't sift it very well.

There may be small stones in it.

If it doesn't write well,

break it in two

and you will find it will work better.

You will find some at the school,

perhaps better quality too.

We're not going to school.

Why do you need chalk then?

For the clapboard.

What's that?

It's used to identify shots.

We write on it

like on a blackboard.

I see,

a board for the shooting.

I remember I saw one on the set

of "Where is My Friend's House?"

I remember,

you were very good in that film.

That's kind of you!

I played the part of the teacher.

You were perfect in the part.

Oh, it's a part I play every day,

I am a teacher!

I have a favour to ask of you...

Excuse me, ma'am,

could you catch up with the minibus?

The school system

provides you with a minibus?

No, it belongs

to the Gandjeh shoe factory.

It drops us at the factory

and we cover the last kilometer

on foot to get to Saramarz.

As I was saying...

I don't really like

films, cinema

and art in general.

But...

with this earthquake...

and all our problems...

Well, if you could possibly

find me a small part

in your film...

- Of course.

- Thank you very much.

Take the short-cut.

- This way?

- Yes yes, that way.

- You won't forget...

- Don't worry.

- Good-bye.

- Good-bye.

Tahereh...

Tahereh...

Miss Tahereh...

- Grandmother...

- Yes?

Hello, grandmother.

- Are you well?

- Yes, thank God.

- Where has Tahereh gone?

- I don't know.

We were meeting at 7:30.

She left at dawn,

to borrow a dress from a friend.

I don't know where she is now.

- So what do I do?

- Make yourself comfortable.

- How are you grandmother?

- Come up here.

Come and sit down.

Come up here and sit down near me.

- I'll wait for her here.

- She's gone to school.

She told me

she was going to borrow a dress.

I'm not quite sure,

I don't know everything she does

It's hard to understand...

What did she say exactly?

Do I wait for her or not?

- What do I do?

- I don't know

At her age, she can't keep still.

She can't keep her word.

You were wrong to arrange

to meet her.

This morning

I sent here to the well

but she left the water

down in the yard.

With my bad legs,

I can't go down there.

The time it takes to get down there,

my food's burned...

Besides, she's forgotten her book.

- Thank you for the water

- That's okay. Do you want some?

Yes, please.

You're back at last, are you?

What time do you call this?

I went to see my friend.

It's 6:
30

and you're not ready yet!

I went to borrow a dress.

- Well? Did you find one?

- Yes.

Let me see.

You're supposed to wear

a peasant dress, not one like that.

My friend said it suited me.

It just needs taking in.

I tell her to change the dress,

and she says she'll take it in!

- You will wear a peasant dress!

- Just let me try it on.

You can't just do as you please.

You'll wear a peasant dress,

I won't say it again.

- She said it just needs taking in.

- I said no!

I'll try it on and you'll see.

It's hopeless,

she's so stubborn!

You have to wear a peasant dress.

Understand? A peasant dress!

No one wears them nowadays.

- Pour, please.

- Is that enough?

Yes, thank you very much.

What did you say?

No one

wears dresses like that any more.

What about your grandmother?

She wears one, a very pretty one.

They're for old people, not me.

I've seen young people wear them.

They suited them too.

But they wear peasants,

illiterate peasants!

Students don't wear them.

You saw that.

At school, of course not,

since those are the rules.

But you have to wear one for us.

How on earth did you bring her up?

She won't stop arguing!

I didn't bring her up, ma'am.

Her mother did, God bless her.

Is something wrong?

Tahereh, that's a pretty dress,

it suits you perfectly...

but it's not right for us.

It's the only one I've got.

It's all right, I'll sort it out.

- It's the only one I'll wear.

- She's looking for an excuse!

She can have her mother's dress,

from the chest.

Can I borrow a flower-pot?

- I will bring it back.

- Take that one.

No, I prefer this one.

The stem's too long on that one.

- Thank you. Good-bye.

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